He torched the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse last season. Now, he could join KU
UCF guard Keyshawn Hall had no idea what to expect as he warmed up to play Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 28.
He’d heard plenty about the prestige and allure of the venue but wasn’t sure the historical arena would live up the hype.
It did … and so did Hall. He scored 34 points with seven rebounds and three assists, but Kansas beat the Knights 91-87.
That game stuck with Hall.
“It was cool,” Hall told The Star. “It was very intriguing because you hear a lot (about it) from playing other places and things like that. Man, to go to Allen Fieldhouse or go to Kansas, that gym was crazy. That’s the best environment in the world and it lived up to it, I can’t lie.
“When the game was getting tight down the stretch in the second half man, there were times you couldn’t hear yourself. Your ears were hurting. So, it was a great arena and a great fanbase.”
Now, Hall could potentially join the Jayhawks. He entered the transfer portal Friday and also declared for the NBA Draft. At the very least, he plans to go through the pre-draft process.
Suffice to say he’s had a busy couple of days. He had a Zoom meeting Saturday night with KU coaches, including head coach Bill Self.
“It went great,” Hall said.
Hall didn’t want to discuss the call in detail, but he told The Star he would have a similar virtual meeting with Auburn and Kentucky coaches on Monday, and potentially with Arkansas on a future date.
He hasn’t scheduled official visits with any school yet but can take campus visits from April 3-10. He told The Star he would love to visit Lawrence if possible.
Hall would be a huge get for Kansas. The 6-foot-7 guard averaged a Big 12-leading 18.8 points and 7.2 rebounds last season. He played KU three times in 2024-25, averaging 23.7 points per game.
Hall will have one season of eligibility remaining. He could help KU fill a scoring void created by Zeke Mayo’s and Hunter Dickinson’s exhausted eligibility.
Hall indicated that he believes Kansas offers precisely what he’s looking for. He has played at three different schools over the last three seasons.
“My next school, I’m looking to win,” he said. “I’ve been everywhere; I’ve scored all over the country. That doesn’t get you anywhere if you don’t win. I’ve not been to the NCAA Tournament my whole career. I’m trying to get to the Final Four. Especially with a team like Kansas, I know I can get to the Final Four and (perhaps win a) national championship.
“So that’s my biggest thing coming in next year, and just being able to play my role. I want to keep my same role and not diminish it anywhere I go on being the scorer I am.”
Hall said he has paid close attention to KU’s roster shakeup. He saw that freshman big man Flory Bidunga had entered the transfer portal but could still return to Lawrence.
The idea of playing with the high-flying freshman intrigues Hall.
“If that happened, that would be great,” Hall said. “I would love to play with someone like Flory. His potential is so high. He’s really athletic and stuff — you saw how he played against us. …
“He looks like a dog, too. Hopefully he can be a type of guy I can play with.”
As for what Hall might offer KU?
“I can add to any team in general my versatility and my passion to the game and my dog (mentality),” he said. “I try to bring my dog (mentality) to the game and I try to play physical and tough. I can score from all over the court. I can play multiple positions. I can create mismatches, and really, I can guard multiple positions.
“Just being a leader on the court, talking to guys. Especially since I’m an older guy now. So, just talking to the younger guys and helping them out as they go along their path.”
