This Kansas basketball team was being underrated nationally during early preseason polls. In August, Gary Parrish from CBS Sports didn't even think enough of the Jayhawks to rank them in his top 26. Of course, that was before Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. won their injunctions and joined the KU roster.
While it is still not clear if White and Coucil will get to play in games this season, the KU roster was better than Parrish's ranking, or lack thereof. It has solid depth at every position.
One player seems to get lost in the shuffle. Luke Barnett might be creating a role for himself. Even Through the Phog recently dismissed his impact as probably the 12th player on this roster if White and Council play.
Another college basketball expert from CBS Sports, Jon Rothstein, thinks Barnett will play a much bigger role than expected this season.
Well embedded moles in Lawrence continue to rave about Kansas freshman Luke Barnett.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 6, 2026
Going to be a factor in the Jayhawks' rotation because of his shooting ability.
A name to monitor in the Big 12.
Luke Barnett might be carving out himself a rotation with the Kansas basketball team
247Sports has Barnett's composite ranked as the 131st-best prospect in this class and the 19th-best shooting guard. While he is being overshadowed by fellow freshmen Tyran Stokes (1st overall) and Taylen Kinney (22nd overall), Barnett brings a skill that not many Jayhawks have. He's a long-range sniper, and every team needs one.
Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports had a concise scouting report on Barnett that leaves little doubt about the youngster's strength.
“Barnett is a shooting specialist. He has deep range and a quick, compact release that he hops into. He took over 70% of his shots from behind the arc in EYBL play and while he made 37% of his total threes, he knocked down a whopping 47% of his unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts. He has extreme gravity as a floor-spacer and understands how to leverage it by utilizing the deep corner, instinctively finding open space around the arc, and just generally understanding spacing and offensive structure.”
Head coach Bill Self loves his spacing, so if Barnett understands that concept and he can shoot, he will earn some playing time. With the crowded top end of the roster, however, Barnett's playing time as a freshman may be situational.
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If Kansas is having trouble getting the ball inside, or if the team is struggling from behind the arc, those scenarios seem ideal for Barnett to come in and make an impact. There is something else to consider here as well. KU already has a similar player, who might be more athletic, in Kohl ROsario.
Last season, Rosario was supposed to be a keen three-point shooter, but he struggled all season, hitting just 28.6 percent (18-63) of his long-range attempts. He is certain to be better this season, and he probably has locked in a spot in the rotation.
Still, Rothstein's “moles” have been impressed with how Barnett is playing in practice. We don't know who his sources are, but it might be comments made off the record by the coaching staff. The fact that they “rave” about his shooting ability goes above and beyond just saying he is a good shooter.
Having a player or two who have long-range shooting skills is a must in today's college game. It would be fantastic if Kasnas has a couple of these players, and hopefully, Baernett will produce in games as well as he impresses in practice.
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