With the Jayhawks finally establishing a rhythm in the heart of conference play, we get a week to sit back and relax before returning to the national spotlight on Saturday in the Phog against BYU.
This year’s group is starting to emerge as fan favorites, similar to the way some of the most beloved, all-time Jayhawk teams have in seasons past. That raises the question: Could this roster show shades of a specific KU team from the past?
When attempting to find another Bill Self team to compare with this year’s squad, it isn’t easy. This team and its players are truly among the most unique personalities Kansas basketball has ever had the pleasure of watching.
So, is there a past group that perfectly compares to the 2025–26 Kansas Jayhawks? After a deep dive, the short answer is no, not really. The main reason is that the Darryn Peterson experience has been so unique, much different from seasons featuring other stellar freshmen who have come through Kansas (Andrew Wiggins, Josh Jackson).
However, there is one team that closely correlates with this year’s squad statistically and also has a somewhat similar roster dynamic.
That team is the 2020–21 Kansas Jayhawks, the group that preceded the national championship–winning squad in 2022.
When comparing the numbers and averages between the two rosters, here’s what you get:
2020–21 roster
Ochai Agbaji (14.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.9 apg)
David McCormack (13.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Jalen Wilson (11.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Marcus Garrett (11.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.7 apg)
Christian Braun (9.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Bryce Thompson (4.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Dajuan Harris Jr. (2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Mitch Lightfoot (3.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Tyon Grant-Foster (3.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
Tristan Enaruna (2.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
2025–26 roster
Darryn Peterson (21.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Flory Bidunga (14.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.7 bpg)
Tre White (14.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Melvin Council Jr. (13.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.2 apg)
Bryson Tiller (8.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
Elmarko Jackson (5.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Jamari McDowell (3.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Kohl Rosario (4.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
Jayden Dawson (2.4 ppg)
This year’s team may have no true comparison to Mitch Lightfoot, but nearly every other player from the 2020–21 roster closely correlates with a player on this year’s roster.
For example, Jalen Wilson and Tre White’s (third line) stats and roles are comparable, much like those of Marcus Garrett and Melvin Council Jr. (fourth line).
Although the play styles of the compared players may differ, as with Christian Braun and Bryson Tiller (fifth line), you can still see the connection through the impact each brings to the team.
Obviously, both teams have eerily similar numbers; however, this year’s team has projected better in almost every major statistical category, especially when Peterson has been in the lineup.
When diving into the numbers, this year’s team clearly does two things better than the 2020–21 squad: scoring and rebounding (5.3 PPG higher and 2.0 RPG higher). That’s not to say this year’s team is elite in either department, but it is clearly a tier above that squad.
Lately, more teams are competing at higher levels, which could help explain why this group hasn’t been as dominant as one might expect given some of these comparisons. This is largely due to the fact that parity in college basketball is at an all-time high.
Coincidentally, the 2020–21 season was famously the final year of “traditional” college basketball. After the NCAA Tournament concluded and the Baylor Bears were crowned national champions, the NIL/transfer portal era began.
Winning in college basketball has never been more difficult, as coaches must constantly adapt. So far, this year’s team has won at a rate comparable to the 2020–21 team, and likely even better.
At this point during the 2020–21 season, the Jayhawks were 11–5 overall and 5–4 in Big 12 play. In comparison, the current team boasts a record of 15–5 overall (11–5 at one point) and 5–2 in the Big 12.
In 2020–21, KU capped off an up-and-down season by winning seven of their final eight regular-season games, finishing with a 19–8 record (shortened schedule due to COVID-19). As a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Jayhawks were defeated by the USC Trojans in the second round.
Hopefully for Kansas, this season’s story will end differently than in 2021. They’ve shown they have everything it takes to be better than that team and to compete with the best in college basketball.
If they can execute in the clutchest moments, could the 2025–26 Kansas Jayhawks go down as one of the all-time fan-favorite teams?
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