Kansas Jayhawks Q&A puts Stokes & KU’s 2026-27 hoops roster under the microscope
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tyran Stokes’s freshman play will heavily influence KU men’s 2026-27 season outcomes.
- KU associate head coach Jeremy Case publicly praised Tyran Stokes on Hawk Talk Radio.
- Sources told The Star Stokes transitioned smoothly to Lawrence and aided football.
It’s fair to say that the rest of the 2026-27 KU Jayhawks men’s basketball team will go as far as freshman Tyran Stokes can take them.
So far, so good.
Associate head coach Jeremy Case spent time praising Stokes during a recent “Hawk Talk” radio spot. And he isn’t the only one. A few weeks ago, a source told The Star that Stokes has looked as good as advertised and his transition to Lawrence was going smoothly.
He has even helped KU football in recruiting. Another source told The Star that Stokes came to a dinner with a recruit he had previously known and played basketball with in his younger years.
Meanwhile, ESPN projects that Stokes could be drafted first overall in the 2027 NBA Draft. An NBA scout told The Star that Stokes would have likely gone fourth or fifth this year, had he been eligible for this week’s 2026 NBA Draft.
With that, it’s time for another Kansas Jayhawks Q&A. Thanks, as always, for the questions …
Do you think changing of the conference schedule 20 games, to 18 games is better, worse or neither for KU? @jayhawk4life35
I think it’s a little better for the Jayhawks. Conference games in the Big 12 are rarely easy and playing fewer games allows KU to pick two more games against non-conference opponents. In theory, that allows for two easier matchups.
Most years KU has played a pretty difficult non-conference schedule. I think this upcoming season is the first time in a while that the non-conference slate isn’t an absolute gauntlet.
The roster isn’t entirely full is it? @stevedoyel
Technically, the Jayhawks have two roster spots open. I wouldn’t be surprised if they explore options, but I am not sure how realistic it is that they actually add someone.
A few weeks ago, I reported that Arkansas’ Malique Ewin and the Jayhawks had mutual interest. He told the Star that he was having conversations with KU coach Bill Self about potentially joining the squad.
That said, he is out of eligibility at the moment. He would have to be granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA in order to play in college another season. He’s seeking a waiver after playing three seasons at the Division I level, one season at a JUCO. The chances of that happening were pretty slim.
A person with knowledge of the situation told The Star that KU has applied for a number of fifth-year waivers, but most have been denied. I wouldn’t be surprised if KU adds a player right before the fall, but don’t expect him to be a real contributor.
Will Kansas go after any Michigan players that enter the portal? @schach91
I don’t think there’s a lack of interest, but a source told The Star that getting any of the Michigan players isn’t super feasible, as the Jayhawks don’t have the type of money required to add a player from the Wolverines.
What do you expect Barnetts minutes to look like and do you think he’ll be an actual steady rotation piece? @DRoc4eva
That’s a great question. I think that depends entirely on how good a shooter he is overall. If he is as advertised, Luke Barnett will find a spot in the rotation, as shooting is a skill that this team needs.
I think he would average something like 12-15 minutes per game.
