KU basketball’s Zeke Mayo would consider returning. Will NCAA rules allow it?
Former Kansas guard Zeke Mayo is primarily focused on pursuing his pro aspirations, but he hasn’t completely ruled out a return to Kansas.
It’s why Mayo entered his name in the transfer portal on Monday night. He currently has no eligibility remaining.
He was one of several players lacking eligibility to enter the portal, as many await potential court rulings or NCAA waivers that grant another year of eligibility.
“Chances have increased of getting that extra year, so I don’t really know what to expect, but it’s kind of a backup option,” Mayo told The Star. “I mean, returning to Kansas is always going to be an option.”
Mayo told The Star he has been in touch with assistant coach Jeremy Case about the possibility of a return to Kansas. He will also meet with coach Bill Self and his staff in the coming days to discuss the idea.
Currently, the Jayhawks have four open roster spots. Kansas brought in three players from the transfer portal: Jayden Dawson (Loyola Chicago), Melvin Council (St. Bonaventure) and Tre White (Illinois).
He’s already built a nice repertoire with Dawson, welcoming him and letting him know if he ever needs anything, to reach out.
The idea of Mayo returning wasn’t exactly in the cards until recent days. He even had a heartfelt thank-you message to KU fans on his Instagram earlier in April.
A potential return to KU would be huge for the Jayhawks. Mayo averaged 14.6 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 42.4% on 3-pointers last season.
He’s still focused on reaching his NBA dreams, currently training in Lawrence. He’s working on his shooting, ball-handling and getting stronger.
He hopes to earn an invite to the NBA Draft combine, set for May 11-18 in Chicago. Recently, he played in three games at the Portsmouth Invitational and averaged 11.3 points per game on 50% shooting.
He’ll cheer on and be at former KU football star Devin Neal’s NFL Draft party in the coming days. Mayo and Neal are childhood best friends.
Although his future is uncertain for now, Mayo likes what Kansas has done this offseason.
“I like the roster,” he said. “I think coach Self has done a great job of getting guys from the portal and obviously with the high school recruiting. They’ve done a great job of that. I’m not surprised he was able to get some of these guys to KU.”
