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This season exposed glaring needs Kansas must address in Transfer Portal

Here are the three biggest things that Kansas needs to address this offseason
ByConnor Mardian|
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Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self looks on in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self looks on in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 2025/26 Kansas Basketball season came to an end in as heartbreaking a fashion as you could imagine with Dylan Darling’s buzzer-beater layup that sent St. John’s to the Sweet 16, crashing the Jayhawks out of the first weekend for the fourth consecutive season. 

While there were several highs throughout the season, which included a strong 13-2 home record and wins over No. 1 Arizona, No. 2 Iowa State, and No. 5 Houston, there were too many inconsistencies over several aspects of play that kept Kansas playing below its level. The same inconsistencies we are about to delve into. 

Kansas must shape up its defensive structure 

The most damaging regular-season loss for the Jayhawks saw the Cincinnati Bearcats travel to Allen Fieldhouse and put up an offensive clinic. Big men Baba Miller and Moustapha Thiam combined for 46 points in the Bearcats’ runaway win. 

Since then, every time an opposition defense poses more than one big man, KU has been exposed as Flory Bidguna can only cover so much space. Oftentimes, guard Tre White had to move out to uncomfortable ranges where his lack of height would be taken advantage of. 

Who will become Kansas’ primary scorer?

In all likelihood, Darryn Peterson will be off to the NBA, leaving a massive task in finding the Jayhawks’ scoring threat for the 2026/27 season. To make things worse, other contributors, Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White, will also probably not be a part of the program next fall, which means Flory Bidunga is set to be the only returning scorer who averaged 10+ points last season. All this goes without mentioning that even with those players, Kansas managed just 75.1 points per game a ranking that pushes them to the 161st-best scoring offense this season. 

How will the Jayhawks balance out their assists and turnovers?

Sunday is a perfect example of the impact several early giveaways can have. And while it was an abnormality for Kansas to give the ball away 16 times in one game. The 2025/26 KU outfit managed to give the ball away 10.7 times per game, which ranks 108th in the country; their 13.9 assists do not prove to be a team with the most fluid ball movement. 

As the college basketball season begins to wind down, the turmoil of the offseason is beginning to pick right back up. Head coach Bill Self’s comments on how much longer he may be in the job open a big room for interpretation, and with players bound to enter the portal, there is ample room to put a tight grip on all of these problems.

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