Kansas basketball coach Bill Self reflects on signing Nginyu Ngala

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self has shared his perspective on the recent signing of Canadian prospect Nginyu Ngala, through a KU release on Tuesday.

Ngala became the Jayhawks’ most recent addition late last week, when he announced his commitment in a social media post on X. Kansas followed that with a post revealing he had signed. And it’s clear Self has high expectations for the graduate guard ahead of the 2025-26 season.

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“We had one roster spot remaining, and we thought we addressed a need in that now we have a backup point guard who we feel is very capable with his maturity and skillset to play minutes on our team,” Self said in a KU release. “Nginyu is quick, he can shoot, and he should be a great example, not only on the court how to play, but also in the locker room.”

Ngala, listed at 5-foot-10 in the release, played at Laurentian University in Canada last season and carries three seasons worth of experience from Dalhousie, too. This past season, he shot 40.4% from the field and 39.2% from behind the arc on the way to averaging 14.9 points per game. With his arrival, Kansas has added both depth and experience.

Much of the Jayhawks’ roster this upcoming season will be made up of newcomers like Ngala, including transfers like senior guard Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure) and freshmen like guard Darryn Peterson. But there is also a collection of returning talent, including sophomore forward Flory Bidunga, who’ll compete for playing time as well. After a pair of exhibition games in October, KU’s regular season is set to begin with a Nov. 3 game at home against Green Bay.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.