Kansas basketball is in full rebuild mode less than a week into the spring 2026 transfer portal window being opened. The Jayhawks have one player left on their roster who averaged 10 minutes or more per game this season and that’s freshman Kohl Rosario. He began the season in the starting five before mostly going M.I.A. (missing in action) during conference play.
Rosario played 10 minutes or more in just two conference games and then also played 10 and 11 minutes respectively in both of KU’s NCAA Tournament games. One other player returns who had playing time in 2025-2026 and that’s freshman Samis Calderon. He played over 10 minutes twice during the non-conference but only played in 16 games throughout the season, averaging four minutes per game in that span.
Darryn Peterson hasn’t officially announced he will declare for the NBA draft but that announcement is expected soon. Transfer starters Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White are out of eligibility. The Jayhawks have no big men left on their roster. Their other two starters, Flory Bidunga and Bryson Teller announced they have entered the transfer portal while seven-foot freshman Paul Mbiya entered the transfer portal as well.
Last year Bidunga entered the portal and then decided to come back to Kansas. It is highly unlikely he would do that for a second consecutive season. Early on in the process the top favorites to land Bidunga are Duke, St. John’s, Michigan, and Louisville. Bidunga has seemingly played his last game at Kansas.
What Could Happen Next?
However, it is being speculated that Tiller could rejoin the Jayhawks… if the price is right. This is what happened last year with Bidunga. He tested the waters to see if the Jayhawks would up their price for his services. It seems like this could be what Tiller is doing as well. One thing to keep in mind is that Tiller, Rosario, and Calderon were all Overtime Elite teammates in high school. Maybe that camaraderie will keep them together. It was reported that Tiller’s top choices were Michigan, Arizona, Miami and Missouri so maybe his time with the Jayhawks has come to an end as well.
Guards Jamari McDowell and Elmarko Jackson, who were the lone Kansas veterans who had been around the program for multiple years this past season, both announced they would enter the transfer portal. These two played the most minutes off-the-bench as anyone last season for the Jayhawks and provided critical plays many times throughout the season. Their leadership, and being a couple of guys that were considered loyal Jayhawks, will be missed.
Strong Freshman Class
The good news for the Jayhawks is they have another good incoming freshman class. Another Overtime Elite player in guard Taylen Kinney, guard Trent Perry, guard Luke Barnett and big man Davion Adkins (who should be able to make an immediate impact inside for the Jayhawks) are all locked and loaded. The No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class, Tyran Stokes, has Kansas on his short list of teams he is still considering. If Stokes chooses Kansas, they will jump right back into the mix to be a contender next season.
Even with a solid incoming freshmen class, now it’s time for Bill Self and company to get to work in the portal. This is one of the most difficult parts of the job in 2026. Trying to piece a team together and get kids who can be coachable and also willing to buy in and be good teammates is a tough task for any coach. It seems like it could be nearly impossible but we just saw Michigan win a National Championship with five transfer starters so it can be done. Self will need to channel what Michigan did to try and make a deep tournament run in 2027.
Despite the big overhaul that is about to happen on the Kansas basketball roster, there is still some optimism around the program with the return of Self and a strong incoming freshmen class. There is a lot of work to do in the transfer portal, but the Jayhawks could put themselves in position to be a contender once again if they can bring in some of the top portal players to mix with the incoming group of freshmen.
