The Kansas men’s basketball roster for the 2026-27 season remains a work in progress and a bit of an unknown at the moment, as the KU coaching staff continues to pursue talent in the transfer portal and wait on a decision from top-rated recruit Tyran Stokes.
While all of that was expected, and has become the norm in college basketball these days, the Jayhawks have been steadily putting together at least part of the roster in the weeks since the season ended in March in San Diego.
The most recent addition — if you want to call it that — came from KU big man Paul Mbiya, who had announced his intent to enter the transfer portal but never actually did, paving the way for him to return for a second season at KU.
Earlier this week, the 7-foot, 245-pound big man from the Democratic Republic of Congo announced that he was in fact staying at Kansas for the upcoming season.
Mbiya announced the news in an emotionally charged way on social media that spoke about loyalty, money, finishing what he started and believing that big things are ahead.
It was a hit with Kansas fans and his upside remains one of the more intriguing things associated with KU basketball right now. Years ago, a player like Mbiya would have had fans and coaches alike absolutely drooling over his long-range outlook.
Today, in the world of immediate payoff and production, Mbiya is more of an intriguing option with big time potential, like a lottery ticket. Hit the right numbers, and you could be rich!
With that in mind, here’s how I see things shaping up with the players who are on the Jayhawks roster as of today, knowing that the guys Bill Self and company add to this list could alter the outlook for a whole bunch of them, moving the projections up or down.
As a reminder, teams can now field up to 15 scholarship players and the transfer portal window, though still packed with all kinds of options, has closed for the offseason.
Let’s start with the returners.
• Paul Mbiya - Given how well Mbiya played in the NCAA Touranment — against both St. John’s and Cal-Baptist — there’s plenty of reason to believe that a jump could be coming. He’s got great size, clearly had made progress throughout the season and now has an entire summer to get stronger and more comfortable in the KU system. Can he get more athletic and quicker? That’s the big question. If the answer is yes — a big if — then you’re looking at a serious piece in the rotation. If the answer is no, or even just a little, then I think Paul slots in as a solid second center who can give you good minutes and continue to develop throughout the season.
• Kohl Rosario - He’s not a lock to start — not by any means — but I don’t think anyone would call you crazy if you told them that Rosario could be starting when the season rolls around. Heck, he started the first dozen or so games of his freshman season and that was after reclassifying into the 2025 class and coming to college at a younger age than most players do. He didn’t play a ton of minutes and certainly wasn’t a consistent option the rest of the way, but the fact that he’s got a full season of experience now — not to mention a full season understanding what it takes to play for Self — should benefit him in a big way. He’s hungry and eager to prove that he’s more than we saw in Year 1. Especially as a shooter. His all-around game is there and, whether he starts or not, he should have a pretty prominent role on next season’s team, possibly even with major breakout potential.
Now, let’s move on to the portal guys that KU has added so far.
• Keanu Dawes - Starter. No doubt. He’ll give Self and company that versatile 4 man that they love having and, at 6-foot-9, 225 pounds, he can do a little bit of everything in the Jayhawks’ system. He’s a capable ball handler in a pinch and in transition. He’s not afraid to step outside and shoot from 3-point range. And he’s athletic, willing to rebound and aware of the importance of defense. Beyond that, he spent the past two seasons playing in the Big 12, so there should be no adjustment needed whatsoever. He wasn’t the flashiest pickup in the portal by any means. But he’s a nice fit for Kansas.
• Leroy Blyden Jr. - Here’s another starter. And a guy who has the potential to be both an absolute star and a fan favorite. You surely know by now that Blyden comes to KU from Toledo as the 2025-26 MAC player of the year, having averaged 16.5 points, 4.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. He also shot 40.7% from 3-point range on a whopping 189 attempts. Those numbers have to translate to the higher level, but, from watching his tape, it certainly looks like that’s possible if not likely. He’s got great feel and flow on the floor and looks fiery and competitive. He also comes from Detroit, so holding his own and flat-out competing will be nothing new. At 6-1, 175 pounds, he’ll need to get stronger and find a greater commitment on the defensive end to reach his max potential. But the parts are there and he’s got a chance to be one of the real head turners in the Big 12 Conference next season.
And we’ll wrap it up, for now, with the freshmen who will be arriving on campus for summer workouts and classes in a little more than a month.
• Taylen Kinney - This McDonald’s All-American with the crafty game should arrive in Lawrence ready to make an immediate impact. And he, too, will likely be given every opportunity to snag a starting spot. TK, as they call him is tenacious in attacking the rim and seems to have a motor that is always on. Some of that comes from the fact that he’s such a playmaker, both for himself as a scorer and for others. And there’s so much flare to his game that you don’t always know which one is coming. At 6-1, 185 and with a wingspan that has measured 6-6, he’s a little bigger than your average freshman lead guard and plays with a physical edge that makes him even bigger. So, that should help him right away, especially because I don’t think anyone expects him to dumb down his game or shy away from playing the way he likes to play. He’s got star potential and has been dying to get to Kansas. He’ll be ready to roll as soon as he arrives.
• Davion Adkins - He’s been injured recently and he’s still a freshman, but there’s a ton to like about his game and if he can recover from the injury and be ready to work when he arrives, there’s little doubt that he can make an impact sooner rather than later. The 6-8/6-9, 205-pound forward from Prolific Prep (home of Darryn Peterson and Josh Jackson) is ultra-athletic, plays above the rim, doesn’t shy away from contact and plays with a motor that’s often unmatched on the floor. Self loves him, and he’s the type of guy that may force his way onto the floor simply because the coaches can’t stand to see his energy and effort sitting beside them. If KU lands a couple of bigs with the remaining portal spots, Adkins’ path to PT might be a little tougher. But if they only add one — presumably a starting 5 — then he may have a big role right away, especially if he’s fully healthy.
• Luke Barnett - Barnett’s a bit of a wildcard, but if you’re in the gambling mood, you might toss a bet with your buddies on this being a guy who plays important minutes for the Jayhawks next season. The 6-4, 180-pound guard from Mater Dei is a dynamic shooter with deep range, a quick release and a natural understanding of how to get open. When left alone, he’s damn near automatic, but he can make contested shots, too, using his length and size to get shots off on the perimeter. He’ll be a freshman and he’ll need to adjust to the physical nature of college basketball. But if given the chance to play real minutes, he could absolutely become a part of KU’s rotation next season. Again, some of this depends on what they add with the remaining roster spots. But even if it’s a handful of guards and wings, I wouldn’t count Barnett out.
• Trent Perry - When he signed with Kansas last November, Self said that when Trent’s on your team, you’re automatically better. So, clearly the intangibles are there. At 6-5, 190, the wing from Texas is long, athletic, physical and willing to do whatever he’s asked on the floor. If there’s a path to early playing time, it’s likely through his versatility, especially on the defensive end. He’s good in space, likes to remain active all over the floor and can guard multiple positions. Depending on the wings KU adds, he may be the freshman most in need of some more time to develop. But the foundation is clearly there.
So, that’s a look at where things stand today. Clearly, KU needs more players and a couple of big pieces.
Landing Stokes would be massive. He’s a star and could be the focal point of this roster. Beyond that, he, too, is incredibly versatile and is already a name that most of the college basketball world knows.
After that, the Jayhawks need a starting 5 man and when they get one, I think the core of the roster will be pretty well set, with the rest of the work in the portal likely being to fill out the bench and add depth and competition.
Stokes and the 5 man they add would likely be lock starters, and, as things currently sit, I think the most likely starting five for the Jayhawks next season looks a lot like this.
PG - Taylen Kinney
2G - Leroy Blyden Jr.
3 - Tyran Stokes if they get him, Kohl Rosario could be an option here if not
4 - Keanu Dawes
5 - Portal center
Depending on what happens at the 3 and the 5, that’s a pretty good group, especially with some of the other names mentioned above adding depth and more portal pieces to come.
We might not be talking Top-5 good there, but Top 10 isn’t crazy and Top 20 seems certain. Still work to be done, though, so keep an eye on what’s happening out there and now you might have a better understanding of how it all fits together.
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