This Jayhawks guard has entered the transfer portal. But he isn’t ruling out a KU return
After much deliberation, Kansas freshman guard Rakease Passmore entered the transfer portal on Sunday.
Passmore made the decision after KU’s disappointing men’s basketball season. Ranked No. 1 in the preseason, the Jayhawks had double-digit losses and then fell to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Passmore told the Star he arrived at the decision to enter the transfer portal “at the end of the season.”
“Even though we were losing and everything else — to other programs it’s not (a lot) of losing, but to Kansas that is — I wasn’t really thinking about transferring during the season. Because I was just trying to be with my guys and be happy. KJ (Adams), Juan (Harris) — all the guys that I (am) around every day.”
A former four-star recruit, Passmore was ranked No. 48 by 247sports.com and No. 49 by Rivals.com in the 2024 recruiting class. He picked Kansas over Oklahoma and LSU out of high school.
But he didn’t play much during his freshman season with the Jayhawks. He averaged .7 points and .6 rebounds and just 5 minutes per contest in 23 games.
That was his primary motivation for entering the transfer portal.
“I’m just looking for playing time,” he said. “That’s pretty much it, being out on the floor.”
Passmore hopes to use this offseason to work on his game. His primary focus will be restoring consistency and confidence to his shooting.
Passmore recently met with KU coach Bill Self and his staff to discuss the season. Passmore said that meeting went well.
“We were just talking because me and Coach Self have a pretty good bond,” he said. “I feel like over the year we really (got) to know each other a lot. The meeting went great. I just wanted to tell him I’m looking at different options.”
A return to Self’s 2025-26 roster in Lawrence is possible. The Jayhawks certainly have plenty of spots available, with just six players on scholarship. Like center Flory Bidunga, Passmore is apparently not shutting that door on that option.
“I’m still considering Kansas, or coming back,” Passmore said. “That’s not off the table.”
For now, he is one of the five KU players portal. He said he doesn’t have a timeline regarding his decision and will be keeping his options open.
This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 7:33 PM.
