Kansas Jayhawks Q&A: Transfer portal needs, Darryn Peterson & point guard play
The Kansas men’s basketball team added a third player from the transfer portal Wednesday.
KU’s newest addition is former St. Bonaventure guard Melvin Council. The Jayhawks now have four roster spots, and the question is: What’s next for KU?
Currently, KU’s two most significant needs are a forward and backup big man.
The Jayhawks are one of the five finalists for 6-foot-6 shooting guard Cedric Coward, from Washington State. Right now, it appears he’s focused on the pre-draft process, but if he decides to return, he would be a big get for KU.
On top of that, KU is hosting forward Tyran Stokes on a visit this weekend. He’s the No. 1-ranked player in the class of 2026, but there have been rumors that Stokes will reclassify.
Like many things in recruiting, what actually happens remains to be seen, but the idea of Stokes, Darryn Peterson and Flory Bidunga playing together is a tantalizing prospect.
With that, it’s time for another Kansas mailbag. Thanks, as always, for the questions!
Who will be the starting PG? @holder102
It will likely be Darryn Peterson.
Although Peterson is more of a combo guard, one of the things he and his camp wanted at any school he ended up at was to have the ball in his hands and run the offense.
It’s one of the things his dad, Darryl, emphasized to me after he visited Kansas last summer.
The goal is for Peterson to get more comfortable running an offense and playing point guard as he chases his NBA aspirations.
Peterson will likely be a top-3 NBA Draft pick and his ability to play multiple positions will help his case.
Will Noah Shelby or Jamari McDowell factor into the rotation in 2025? @FrozenVolcanoes
I think there’s a good chance at least one of them will. If I were to pick one, it would be Jamari McDowell.
I think Noah Shelby is a good player who adds something KU needs, specifically shooting, but I want to see him play more before I can project a role for him.
I’ve heard people around the program rave about McDowell and his attitude during his redshirt season. Additionally, Kansas has had multiple players break out in their third season under Self.
A prime example from recent years was Jalen Wilson, who was the Big 12 Player of the Year in his junior season.
KU seems set on guards and wings. Any chance they land a quality backup 5 or stretch 4? @JAndrew_Cochran
I expect them to, as they’ve been linked to multiple big men.
The question is — who’s willing to be a backup behind Bidunga? KU will likely have to take the developmental route, where a player is OK with being his backup and willing to stay at KU for multiple seasons.
I’m not sure KU adds a stretch four at this junction, as Kansas has not been linked to any bigs that stretch the floor. The Jayhawks, in fact, just lost a stretch-big in Zach Clemence.
Any chance Lance and the football program change their stance on field turf and go to grass? @ryman_justin
I don’t think so. Logistically and money-wise, it’s tough to do.
A source close to the program told The Star previously that the plan is to host concerts and special events, so the cost of replacement is very high.
Who would perform better: Lance coaching KU Basketball or Bill coaching KU Football
This is an excellent question. I’ve thought about it a lot, but I think Lance Leipold would be a better KU basketball coach than Self would be at football.
Why? Leipold is an excellent program builder, but this would be the first time in his career that he has the resources and prestige that KU basketball offers.
I’d love to see how he would do in recruiting with players coming out of high school and in the transfer portal. I think he’d get a little annoyed in some aspects, but I believe after a bit of a learning curve, Leipold would eventually be successful.
A lot of that has to do with the inherent advantage he gets with KU basketball. While KU football has improved significantly over the years (and continues to improve), it’s not exactly in the same realm as KU in college basketball.
