The college basketball season is in the books, and the transfer portal is now open, giving teams a chance to revamp their rosters ahead of the new season. A summer of big upheaval awaits the Kansas Jayhawks, who are set to lose a number of key players.
Head coach Bill Self faces several key decisions over the next two weeks. Here’s the latest on which players could be leaving and joining the Kansas Jayhawks.
Kansas Jayhawks’ 2026 Transfer Portal Tracker
Entering Transfer Portal
- Flory Bidunga
- Bryson Tiller
- Elmarko Jackson
- Paul Mbiya
- Jamari McDowell
Bidunga is one of the biggest names entering the transfer portal this year. He’s widely regarded as the No. 1 player on the move. The big man enjoyed a dominant sophomore year with Kansas and was a finalist for the 2026 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 13.3 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game this year.
MORE: Flory Bidunga Landing Spots: Where Will the No. 1-Ranked Transfer Portal Entry Play Next?
Tiller’s decision to enter the transfer portal came as a big surprise for Kansas fans. The forward performed with great consistency for Kansas this season, averaging 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Jackson was a solid bench option for Kansas but was unable to make a decisive impact. He averaged 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game in his sophomore year.
Mbiya is another big man leaving Kansas this offseason. He averaged only 7 minutes per game as a freshman, scoring 1.2 points and grabbing 1.4 rebounds.
McDowell became the fifth Jayhawk to enter the transfer portal, opting to leave after two seasons with the program. He averaged 3.3 points per game in his sophomore year.
Likely/Announced Departures
- Darryn Peterson (NBA Draft)
- Melvin Council Jr. (Exhausted Eligibility)
- Tre White (Exhausted Eligibility)
- Jayden Dawson (Exhausted Eligibility)
- Nginyu Ngala (Exhausted Eligibility)
Peterson looks set to leave the Jayhawks and is considered one of the top projected picks for the 2026 NBA Draft. He averaged 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in his lone season as a Jayhawk.
Council appears to be out of eligibility, although he is looking to change that. He was a surprise starter for KU in his only year with the team, and averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 assists, and 5 rebounds per game.
White is also out of eligibility after playing as a starter for Kansas this year. He averaged 13.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
Dawson and Ngala have also exhausted their eligibility after coming off the bench in bit-part roles for Kansas this season.
Kansas’ Incoming Players
- Taylen Kinney
- Trent Perry
- Luke Barnett
- Davion Adkins
Self has already added four recruits to the Jayhawks roster, with Kinney regarded as a five-star prospect coming off a 20-point season with Overtime Elite. He is ranked 13th in the 2026 recruiting class by 247Sports.
MORE: College Basketball 2026 Transfer Portal Tracker: Complete List of Players Who Are Available
Perry is another talented prospect who chose Kansas over TCU, Maryland, Oklahoma State, and Penn State after a promising year at Link Academy.
Adkins is one of the top-ranked centers in the 2026 class and will look to replace the departing big men in the Kansas lineup. Barnett is another exciting prospect who attracted plenty of interest before deciding to sign for Kansas.
