Heading into the 2025-26 campaign, the Kansas Jayhawk basketball program had some weight on its shoulders.
KU had begun a trend that saw the Jayhawks not make it past the second round of the NCAA Tournament three years running, and their eggs were in the basket of transfer guard Melvin Council Jr. guard/wing Tre White, forward Jayden Dawson and five-star freshman Darryn Peterson, as they were deemed key parts of the core to lead Kansas back to the mountaintop.
Obviously, we know how that ended.
But when you look at this incoming class of the Jayhawks, things suddenly feel a bit more secure. Even if just weeks ago, they weren’t.
Weeks ago, only Paul Mbiya and Kohl Rosario were the sole survivors from last season, and the future of No. 1 2026 recruit Tyran Stokes was anything but certain, painting a bleak outlook for next season.
Now, things have changed.
Kansas has shifted to a long-term, surefire approach with recent acquisitions
Let’s take a look at who Kansas has brought in through the portal.
Keanu Dawes: Power Forward (Senior)
Christian Reeves: Center (Senior)
Dennis Parker Jr.: Shooting Guard (Senior)
Leroy Blyden Jr.: Guard (Sophomore)
Yes, it is obvious that in a year, Dawes, Reeves and Parker will be gone from the program. But the acquisition of Blyden, combined with the loaded freshman class Kansas has enlisted, ensures that those who sit behind the trio of seniors are getting ample time to ply their trade next season.
Kansas’ freshman class is ringing in the likes of the nation’s No. 1 player Tyran Stokes, No. 13 player Taylen Kinney and three top-125 talents in four-star forward/center Davion Adkins, four-star wing Trent Perry and four-star shooting guard Luke Barnett.
Stokes will likely be a one-and-done player; way too early 2027 mock drafts are already projecting a potential No. 1 selection.
Kinney, on the other hand, is not quite as certain. There is every chance he compiles a high-first-round caliber season and is off to the Association, but it is not a shoo-in like Stokes. Meaning in the future, KU could have a backcourt of Kinney and Blyden, who will, in all likelihood, become one of the best pairs in the nation.
When you look towards the frontcourt, Kansas bringing in Perry could make him a long-term projection for the wing, the same for Adkins at power forward, and with Reeves only having one year left of eligibility, Paul Mbiya, who will already be competing for the starting spot this season, could have a full grasp over the center position come his junior season. Kansas’ shooting guard worries are put at risk when you consider Rosario's commitment to the program and Barnett's outlook.
If you even want to take a step further, the Jayhawks have secured the signature of 2027 five-star talent Javon Bardwell, a 6-foot-6 small forward who would immediately enter the fold ahead of the 2027-28 season.
While of course a lot can happen in the sport and players can transfer at the drop of a hat, this feels like a far cry from the Peterson, White and Council “win-now investment”, which, while it had great highs, ultimately failed to pan out.
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