Bill Self didn’t bring Trey Kaufman-Renn in to let him sit long.
That much was clear after Kansas’ win over Fordham, when Self made it plain that the former Purdue big man is going to be part of the starting group once he’s fully healthy. Kaufman-Renn only arrived a few weeks ago before Big 12 Media Days, but Self already sounds convinced he belongs at the front of the line.
“He's gonna start. He's a starter.
I mean, let's make no bones about it,” Self said postgame.“ As long as he's healthy, he's starting.”
Self repeated the point when explaining why Kaufman-Renn opened the second half in the lineup.
“He's gonna start. He's a starter.
I mean, let's make no bones about it. As long as he's healthy, he's starting.”
He also said, “When he gets comfortable, and we know how to play with him, I think you'll see a guy that we can…
For now, Kaufman-Renn is still settling in with a Kansas team that has had to rework parts of its roster. Self left a few spots open when building the group for this season, which gave the Jayhawks room to bring back Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White, both key pieces from last year, and also add Kaufman-Renn through the transfer portal under the five-for-five rule and temporary injunction.
Even in a limited role, Kaufman-Renn gave Kansas a useful first look at what he can do. He played 23 minutes and finished with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, plus five rebounds, two assists and a block. For a team that needed more size after Flory Bidunga transferred, that kind of production matters.
The second-half start also points to where this is headed. If Kaufman-Renn is in the opening five, Christian Reeves would likely be the one moving to the bench and coming in when Kaufman-Renn needs a rest.
There’s a reason the buzz around Kaufman-Renn followed him from Purdue. After four seasons there, including a redshirt year, he arrives with real mileage. Last season he averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists, and Kansas is clearly banking on that experience translating quickly.
Self seems to believe it will. And if Kaufman-Renn keeps getting comfortable in the system, Kansas may have added exactly the kind of frontcourt piece it needed.
In Other News...
Kansas Lands In A November Showcase That Just Got More Intense
Kansas is set to have another major November stage in 2026, and the broader event landscape around it is changing in a way that should matter to the Jayhawks. The mens college basketball multi-team event schedule is getting a significant overhaul, with the Players Era moving to a simplified setup that splits into separate 16-team and 8-team bracket-style tournaments, giving that event a cleaner and more competitive feel than before.
The rest of the calendar is shifting too, including the Battle 4 Atlantis, which is dropping the traditional bracket format in favor of two separate four-team pools. Against that backdrop, the top bracket-style events stand out even more, with the Players Era 16 and 8 and the Maui Invitational among the headliners. For Kansas, it means a November slate that should be loaded with high-level games and a little more clarity about where the best early-season proving grounds now sit. [Read more 🡒]
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Cam Pickett and Nahzee Cox both made their presence felt, which helped explain the shift in distribution, but it also left Kansas with a broader question about how the receiver rotation will settle going forward. The return of injured starter Isaiah Marshall could give the Jayhawks more answers in the passing game, and his availability would add another layer to an offense still sorting out where the targets are going to land. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Just Got A Rivalry Reminder Jayhawks Fans Will Love
Kansas opened the season with a comfortable win over Fordham, and the early mood around the program got a little brighter when Kansas State stumbled at home against South Dakota State. It is only one game apiece, but in a state where the basketball conversation never stays quiet for long, that kind of contrast is the sort of thing Jayhawks fans notice right away.
The bigger picture is still ahead, of course, with the Sunflower Showdown set to be played twice this season. The first meeting comes in Manhattan on Jan. 23, and the return trip to Lawrence follows on Feb. 27, giving both sides plenty of time to sort out their early-season form before the rivalry starts to matter in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]