Kansas’ 2025-26 men’s college basketball season ended in disappointment, despite having one of the best freshmen in the country. With Darryn Peterson as the team’s centerpiece, the Jayhawks went 24-11 and lost in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament to St. John’s.
Now, Kansas head coach Bill Self and his coaching staff are trying to retool via the transfer portal. The Jayhawks retained some players from their 2025-26 roster, while also adding some transfers and incoming freshmen to bolster the squad.
Kansas Jayhawks’ 2026 Transfer Portal Tracker
Confirmed Departures
- Darryn Peterson | NBA Draft
- Flory Bidunga | Committed to Louisville
- Bryson Tiller | Committed to Missouri
- Elmarko Jackson | Committed to Georgetown
- Jamari McDowell | Committed to Wake Forest
- Samis Calderon | Committed to Butler
- Tre White | Exhausted Eligibility
- Melvin Council Jr. | Exhausted Eligibility
- Jayden Dawson | Exhausted Eligibility, applying for medical waiver
- Corbin Allen | Redshirted 2025-26 Season
Peterson leads the exodus of players from the Jayhawks following the 2025-26 season. The 6’6″ guard battled injuries during his freshman campaign but appeared in 24 games, averaging 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals.
White and Council excelled under Self’s guidance, but both have exhausted their college eligibility. White tallied 13.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, while Council averaged 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
Bidunga, meanwhile, leads the group of Kansas players who found new homes through the transfer portal. The 6’10” forward was regarded as one the best players in the portal before Louisville secured his commitment on April 12. Last season, he averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.
Tiller played 35 games for the Jayhawks this past season, posting respectable numbers of 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. Jackson appeared in 34 games, averaging 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists.
McDowell, who committed to the Demon Deacons on April 15, suited up in 35 games, averaging 3.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. Calderon played in only 16 games, averaging 0.4 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.3 assists. He announced his commitment to the Bulldogs on April 13.
Allen, a redshirt freshman, entered the portal on April 17. He will leave Kansas with his four years of college eligibility intact as he seeks another team.
Dawson, a Loyola Chicago transfer, appeared in 24 games for the Jayhawks, averaging 2.1 points per game. Technically a senior, Dawson entered the transfer portal while applying for a medical waiver that would grant him an extra year of eligibility if approved.
Future Up in the Air
- Paul Mbiya
Although Mbiya announced his intentions to transfer on April 6, he reportedly has yet to actually enter the transfer portal and is now open to returning to Kansas.
His management team is reportedly in negotiations with the Jayhawks for next season. Mbiya played 21 games for Kansas this past season, averaging 1.2 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.
Confirmed Returning Players
- Kohl Rosario
- Will Thengvall
Rosario announced his return to the Jayhawks on April 13 and he will be a sophomore next season. Last year, he averaged 3.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game across 29 contests.
Thengvall will return for his third season with the Jayhawks. His collegiate career has consisted of 9 games, and he has recorded just 2 rebounds and 1 assist.
Incoming Transfer Players
- Keanu Dawes (from Utah)
- Leroy Blyden Jr. (from Toledo)
Dawes officially committed to Kansas on April 16, following three seasons at Rice and Utah. The 6’9″ forward, born in Salt Lake City, broke out this past season by averaging 12.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 32 games with the Runnin’ Utes.
Blyden played for Toledo during his freshman year last season. He appeared in 34 games for the Rockets, averaging 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. The 6’1″ guard bolsters the Jayhawks’ backcourt for next season.
Incoming Freshmen
- Taylen Kinney
- Davion Adkins
- Trent Perry
- Luke Barnett
Kansas has a five-star recruit in Kinney and three four-stars in Adkins, Perry and Barnett. Kinney, a 6’2″ guard from Newport, Kentucky, averaged 20.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game at Overtime Elite. He is expected to form an explosive backcourt duo with Blyden.
Adkins saw action at the NBPA Top 100 camp this past summer. The 6’9″ forward averaged 11.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game. He is ranked No. 27 by Rivals.com, No. 33 by 247Sports.com, and No. 46 by ESPN.com.
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Perry signed up to play for the Jayhawks in November 2025. The 6’5″ guard/forward played at Lone Star High School, averaging 13.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game before transferring to Link Academy.
Barnett, a four-star recruit from Laguna Niguel, California, will bring his excellent shooting to Kansas after signing with the team in November 2025. During his junior season at Mater Dei High School (California), the 6’3″ Barnett tallied 21.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals. He scored 55 points on 12 3-pointers against Hoover High School while playing for Mater Dei.
