Assuming Keanu Dawes withdraws from the NBA Draft process, the Kansas Jayhawks will be enlisting one of the nation’s best transfers available, whose impact will be felt more than just on the court.
Dawes’ strong career thus far proves his reliability on the hardwood
Dawes opened his career playing for Rice in the American Athletic Conference. Dawes’ first year was one that saw ply his trade. The former three-star recruit notched 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, on a 41% field goal rate, which included a paltry 28.8% mark from beyond the arc.
Dawes then took the jump the Big 12 to the Utah Utes where his numbers steadily increased despite a five-minute reduction (2023-24: 23.6, 2024-25: 18.7). Dawes finished his first season in the Big 12 with 8.3 points and 6.4 rebounds, doing it on a much-improved 61.4% field goal rate, even increasing 34.3% three-point rate, as the Utes finished Dawes’ inaugural year with a 16-17 record.
Last season, Dawes made his presence felt the most, starting all 32 games, averaging nearly 31 minutes per game, 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, with a healthy 2.2 assists, on a 54.6% rate from the field, including 31.7% from beyond the arc. The 2025-26 campaign was especially impressive as he did it on an increased number of shots with 4.6-8.5 shots per game. In his previous two seasons, he averaged 2.2-5.4 in 2023-24 and 2.9-4.7 in 2024-25.
Towards the end of the season, the Jayhawks and the Utes matched up inside Allen Fieldhouse, Dawes put together a strong 22 points on 10-13 shooting with 12 rebounds to follow suit, despite KU prevailing 71-59.
According to John Hollinger’s game score metric. Dawes finished last season with an 11.3 average. For reference, Hollinger classes a 10 as “average,” and a number like 40 as “outstanding.”
Dawes then hit the portal a second time and was ranked as the nation’s No. 49 transfer and No. 12 transfer.
"I've had the chance to coach against Keanu the last two years and he is a very versatile perimeter forward," head coach Bill Self via a press release when Dawes was introduced.
"At 6-foot-9, he is extremely athletic and his skill set is improving. He's a four-man that can stretch the defense. We are very excited about his versatility. We think he can guard one through five and see him as being an immediate impact player for us.
"Keanu has been very well coached, well drilled, and has a unique feel for a player his size."
The senior will offer something very few other players can
Dawes will be joining a team primarily made up of underclassmen. For reference, the Jayhawks will be enlisting seven freshmen: Tyran Stokes (small forward), Taylen Kinney (point guard), Davion Adkins (power forward/), Trent Perry (wing/small forward), Luke Barnett (shooting guard), Grant Mordini (center) and Atticus Richmond (small forward).
Combine that with incoming guard Leroy Blyden Jr. being just a sophomore and the fact that Kansas’ sole two returners from last season (Kohl Rosario and Paul Mbiya) are both sophomores, screams that this is a Kansas team that needs more experience under its belt, exactly where Dawes can step in.
Not only can someone like Dawes offer a cool head in the locker room, but Dawes has already seen the waves of the Big 12 from a starter's perspective from his time at Utah. Something no one else on the roster can present for an entire season.
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