What we’re hearing about KU basketball’s roster: Who stays and who goes?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bill Self weighs retirement or return (due to health) after early NCAA exit for KU.
- Darryn Peterson expected to enter 2026 draft; KU likely loses three starters.
- Flory Bidunga may test draft or stay for NIL; Bryson Tiller could test draft or transfer.
After another first-weekend exit from the NCAA Tournament, one thing is clear for the Kansas men’s basketball team:
Change is coming.
Plenty of decisions will be made over the coming days and weeks, perhaps none bigger than if Kansas coach Bill Self will return for his 24th season. After the Jayhawks’ season-ending loss to St. John’s, the Hall of Fame coach was noncommittal about his future.
“I’ll get back and get with family and visit and see what’s going on,” Self said postgame. “I love what I do. I need to be able to do it where I’m feeling good and healthy to do it fairly well.”
As Self decides on his coaching future, several players have spoken up on his behalf, specifically in regard to online criticism about the Jayhawks’ recent seasons.
But regardless of Self’s final call, sources have indicated several departures from the KU roster should be expected. That number may be even higher if Self decides to leave.
Expected KU departures
The biggest expected departure is Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson. He said he’s undecided about declaring for the NBA Draft, but it’s close to a formality at this point.
Multiple NBA scouts and NBA Draft evaluators have told The Star that he’ll be a top-3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Players very rarely return to school in that case.
It’s up for debate whether Peterson will be drafted No. 1 overall, but it will likely come down to his medicals and the needs of the team picking in that spot. Even after his tumultuous season, many scouts remain bullish on both the KU star and his main competition for the No. 1 spot, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa.
“I would take Darryn 10 (out of) 10, every time,” an NBA scout recently told The Star. “I know too much. I’ve been around him too long.” (Others have recently suggested his stock at No. 1 has slipped.)
Meanwhile, seniors Tre White, Jayden Dawson, Melvin Council Jr. and graduate student Ngee Ngala have all exhausted their eligibility.
Council has discussed seeking a sixth year of eligibility, but has yet to earn the waiver to do so.
With Peterson, Council and White leaving, the Jayhawks will lose three starters who combined to average 47 points per game. There’s plenty of production to replace.
Potential starters with NBA upside
The two remaining starters are freshman big man Bryson Tiller and sophomore big man Flory Bidunga, who are both at interesting points.
Tiller earned a starting spot early on after fellow freshman Kohl Rosario struggled. Tiller had a solid season but seemed to hit a freshman wall in the last few weeks. He was benched in the second half of the Big 12 Tournament semifinal round against Houston, later telling The Star he was “shocked” by how it unfolded.
Tiller finished the season averaging 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds, but over his last seven games he scored 5-plus points only twice. In KU’s season-ending loss, he scored zero points.
He told The Star he hasn’t thought about his future yet, but he plans to spend the offseason improving his physicality and aggressiveness. That echoes the staff’s evaluation. KU likes Tiller’s potential and personality, but there’s a belief he needs to get stronger and play to his size.
He, of course, would be welcomed back and possesses a skill set that NBA teams are intrigued by. He may be a candidate to test the NBA Draft waters, but could also be considered a transfer candidate with how the season ended. Some think that may be the case.
Bidunga, likewise, is a unique case. He earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and made the All-Big 12 first team after averaging 13.3 points and nine rebounds a game. So it’s not a secret that Bidunga will command plenty of NIL dollars, and likely a raise, to return.
KU’s staff will hope to keep him in Lawrence if he doesn’t go pro — he may also test the draft waters — but it’s worth noting he entered the portal last offseason and would draw interest if he did so again.
NBA scouts are intrigued by Bidunga’s defensive ability and versatility. They see him as a small-ball center, but there are questions about his offensive game.
One scout from an NBA Eastern Conference team believes Bidunga needs the right frontcourt partner to help minimize his weaknesses at the next level.
Bidunga told The Star he needs to get stronger for the NBA, but it’s still very possible he could test the draft waters, which multiple NBA scouts said they anticipate. He’s currently projected as a second-round pick.
Multiple sources outside of the KU program have suggested Bidunga could make more money in college than the NBA, at least initially.
“So far, I am just taking it day-by-day,” Bidunga told The Star. “Obviously, I have a close circle that will help me make a decision.”
Rest of the KU basketball rotation
The three most important decisions after Bidunga and Tiller will come from freshman Kohl Rosario and redshirt-sophomores Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell.
Rosario was initially a starter this season before being replaced by Tiller. His shooting did not translate this season. He found himself on the outside of the rotation.
He averaged 3.4 points in 11.6 minutes per game. That said, he did come off the bench late against St. John’s and made a few plays to nearly spark a comeback.
It’s unclear where he stands today, but he shared his mindset with The Star late in the season: He said he believes in a “delayed gratification” mindset.
“Nothing in this life that is valued comes with instant gratification,” he said. “... It’s a good lesson right now. I’m not seeing the results right now, but I’m still working. I’m not going to give up, no matter what I do.
“... I don’t know when my time is, but I know it’s going to come.”
The KU staff has praised Rosario’s work ethic and character, but there was hope he’d provide more consistent shooting and play a bigger role. If he returns, he’ll need to provide more shooting, but the staff believes in his upside. Two NBA scouts also mentioned him as a long-term pro prospect.
Jackson and McDowell, meanwhile, are the longest-tenured Jayhawks. After giving up the game-winning bucket Sunday, Jackson took the loss hard. He spent most of the open locker room session with a towel over his head.
Jackson had an up-and-down season. He averaged 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game. He shot just 38% overall. He developed as a defender, but the former McDonald’s All-American has yet to hit his ceiling at KU.
A fresh start could be on the table.
McDowell showcased promise at different points this season. He averaged 3.3 points in 17.3 minutes per game and shot 34.9% on 3s. He said after the NCAA Tournament loss it would take a lot for him to leave KU.
“Throughout your whole life, you’ve got to rock up the ones that rock with you,” McDowell told The Star. “Especially in this day and age. I kind of always feel like that. I went to the same high school the whole time. I played with my dad’s AAU team since I was 14. … I’m a consistent person, bro. It would have to be something crazy (for me to leave).”
KU’s long-term vision for McDowell includes him getting stronger and more physical defensively, as he was pushed around at times this season.
If both players (or either) return, they’ll need to take a significant step forward, or they could find themselves lower in a revamped rotation.
Deep bench players with promise
Finally, the two most interesting names down the KU bench are big man Paul Mbiya and forward Samis Calderon.
Mbiya didn’t play or show much most of the season but made key NCAA Tournament appearances. He was used more on the scout team in the last month, and it may have coincided with his growing comfort.
He could have some upside if the end of his season is a jumping-off point.
As for Calderon: The freshman barely played this season, appearing in just 16 games and averaging 4.1 minutes. KU’s staff has spoken highly of his raw athleticism, but the Jayhawks could also use more polished players in the rotation.
Calderon told The Star he’d not yet thought about his future after KU’s season-ending loss to St. John’s. He said he plans to work on his defense this offseason.
“I mean it’s always kind of hard, but there’s not much you can do,” Calderon said about limited playing time. “So it’s got to keep going.”
He may be considered a transfer candidate.
