There’s a chance Council could play another season for KU Jayhawks. Will he try?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Council hasn't pursued a waiver but would love a sixth season if granted
- Coach Self notes eligibility hurdles but strongly supports Council
- Council's leadership helped spark a team turnaround alongside teammates
Melvin Council Jr. wishes he could put his pro basketball dreams on hold for another school year.
The Kansas Jayhawks’ 6-foot-4 fan-favorite guard from Rochester, New York was asked Thursday about potentially seeking a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA and playing a second season in Lawrence.
“I haven’t looked into that,” he said. “But I’ve been hearing things, seeing things and stuff like that.”
That ostensibly was a reference to social media and message board chatter amongst KU fans, many of whom long for Council’s return in 2026-27. Their hopes have risen with various ongoing court cases in which other players are seeking extended eligibility after competing for junior-college teams.
Council played at St. Bonaventure last season after one year at Wagner College and two seasons at Monroe College. Thus, this season at KU — he’s averaging 13.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game with 111 assists to 33 turnovers — is his fifth full year of college hoops.
“I would love to come back if I had another year,” Council said with a smile before invoking the name of the Jayhawks’ 23rd-year Hall of Fame coach. “It’s Kansas. Why not? You know ... Bill Self.”
Asked if “there’s a chance he could come back,” Self stated Thursday: “I don’t know. I haven’t studied it. I know that there would have to be some things that are done. And the NCAA has made statements that they’re they’re certainly frowning on waivers, so to speak. I don’t really know or understand, but would I love that? Absolutely. I love coaching him.”
Council has embraced a leadership role at KU, which takes a 17-5 record (7-2 Big 12) into Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. home game against Utah (9-13, 1-8 Big 12).
He was one of the Jayhawks to call a player’s only meeting after KU’s 86-75 loss to West Virginia on Jan. 10 in Morgantown, West Virginia. KU has won six in a row since that contest and meeting.
Council on Thursday cited “our players’ meeting that we had” as the main reason for KU’s turnaround.
“We just had to lock in and bring the Kansas basketball program back,” he said. “The past couple years haven’t been like the Kansas (teams of past). Those two losses (at UCF, at West Virginia) … it was pretty rough. Coach always preached to us that we’ve got to protect the home court and steal some ones on the road and that’s what we’ll try to do moving forward,” he added.
Council acknowledged that his “dog” mentality — KU’s students playfully bark at him when he has the ball — has caught on among teammates since that gathering.
“Like I said before, I’m like the keys to the car, you know? So that dog is going to start with me, and then my teammates will always have my back,” he said. “As I go, they go, and when I’m not going, they try to pick me up so I can go.”
Self was asked if he’s noticed a change in his squad since the West Virginia game and players-only team meeting that followed.
“Yes, we’re playing better. Guys are seeming to enjoy it more,” Self said. “I think that attitudes have been good. I don’t think they were ever bad. It’s just we were just kind of blah. And I think we certainly showed more energy. Winning is more fun than not winning so, so probably a combination of all those things.”
Council in KU’s last game lofted a perfect pass to Darryn Peterson over two Texas Tech defenders. That moment led to Peterson’ game-tying 3-pointer from the corner with 1:20 left in Monday night’s 64-61 road victory over the Red Raiders.
Seconds later, Peterson sank the game-winning 3 from the left side in front of KU’s bench.
“Well, the first pass, he got him the ball,” Self said of Council dishing to Peterson. “You could also say, well, Flory (Bidunga) is the one who got him open too with the (flare) screen. But the first pass, Melvin got him involved. With the second pass, Flory set a screen and Darryn just jumped up and made it off the bounce. So you could say that about Mel, but you could also say it about Flory, because he freed him (Peterson) twice (with screens).”
Council said the game-tying 3 came off a set play.
“Yeah, we practice that play all the time,” he said. “But what I could say is, I’m mad at Darren when he pump-fakes, then shoots it. I don’t know why you (would) do that. I knew it was going to go in, because he does that in practice all the time. That was like a free throw to him.
“Usually I have to dribble, then I pass it, but I didn’t even dribble. So it was kind of a weird pass. And they said that he was, like, falling out of bounds a little bit. So I’m just glad he made the shot.”
This story was originally published February 5, 2026 at 3:33 PM.
