Bill Self didn’t let Kansas’ biggest flaw linger for long.
Last season, the Jayhawks were stretched thin, with the bench offering little relief and the starters carrying too much of the load. This year looks different. Self went into the offseason knowing depth had to be addressed, and he found a way to build a roster that can go 10, maybe even 11 deep.
“We’d like to be able to play at least 10,” Self said before the season began.“There will be some games we use 11, but the guys who play the 11th spot or more than that are going to get limited minutes no matter who that is. So I think 10 is a fair number, at least initially.”
That kind of rotation would be a major shift for Kansas, which was working with only seven or eight players last season. The difference now is experience. Self used the temporary injunction to bring back Melvin Council Jr., Tre White, and Trey Kaufman-Renn for one more season, giving the Jayhawks more proven bodies on both the starting unit and the bench.
The move has drawn attention, with some viewing it as Self helping reshape college basketball’s new reality. He doesn’t see it that way.
“Disruptor? If we don’t play with them, we’re gonna play against them,” Self said at Big 12 Media Days.
“All I want to do, within the guidelines of what’s been set: how do we get our best team together? That’s it.
There’s no disruption.”
For Self, this is less about making a statement and more about adapting to the way the sport works now. And with the way rosters are built these days, that adaptability matters.
Kansas also added younger talent through the transfer portal, including sophomore Leroy Blyden Jr., fourth-year player Keanu Dawes, and freshman Taylen Kinney. Those players may not be at the top of the depth chart, but they’re part of a rotation that should keep everyone involved.
That matters because even the younger pieces are getting real run. Against Fordham, at least eight Jayhawks played 13 minutes or more, giving the roster a chance to develop while still competing with a deeper group.
Last season’s shortage is no longer the issue. Self has built a roster that can spread minutes around, keep the legs fresh, and develop the younger players at the same time.
In other words, he’s not just fixing the present. He’s setting up the next one, too.
In Other News...
Kansas Fans Got Their First Real Look At A New Frontcourt Piece
Kansas fans finally got their first real look at Trey Kaufman-Renn in a Jayhawks uniform in the season opener against Fordham, and the Purdue transfer gave a quick glimpse of why he should matter in the frontcourt. In 23 minutes, he finished with nine points, five rebounds and two assists as Kansas rolled to a 95-65 win and stretched its home-opening winning streak to 54 games.
Kaufman-Renns debut came with a little more significance because the Jayhawks were also missing Kohl Rosario, who sat out because of a concussion and oral surgery tied to a recent injury. That left Kansas with one less body to sort through in the early rotation, making the first impressions from new pieces even more important as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Already Has A Taylen Kinney Question Bill Self Must Answer
Leroy Blyden Jr. gave Kansas something to think about in its recent game, and not just because he came off the bench and scored 15 points. Bill Self came away impressed, and the performance stood out even more because Taylen Kinney started the game but did not match Blydens impact. For a program that is always balancing immediate production with long-term development, nights like this can quickly turn into a rotation conversation.
Kinneys path is the bigger question hanging over it all. If Blyden keeps playing with the kind of confidence and experience he showed, his role could grow at the expense of a player many view as a longer-term project. Kansas has seen plenty of players benefit from staying in college longer to sharpen their game before heading to the NBA, and Self may soon have to decide whether Kinney needs more patience, more minutes, or both. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Opened With A Win But One Early Concern Stood Out
Kansas kept its remarkable home-opening streak alive under Bill Self, topping Fordham and extending a run that now sits at 53 straight wins in those games. Tre White set the tone offensively with 22 points, and even with a new look in the lineup, the Jayhawks still controlled the glass well enough to make up for the departure of a key rebounder from last season.
Still, the opener also showed where the early-season work has to happen. Kansas turned it over 17 times, a number that stood out even in a comfortable win, and that sloppiness is the kind of issue that can linger once the competition tightens. One encouraging subplot was freshman Leroy Blyden Jr., who flashed enough promise to keep himself in the conversation for a starting point guard role as the rotation takes shape. [Read more 🡒]