Bill Self didn’t exactly hand Taylen Kinney the spotlight after Kansas’ exhibition opener, and that may end up being a good thing for the freshman.
Kinney got the start over Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr., but the real game belonged to Blyden once the benches got involved. He came off the bench and made a strong impression on Self, who didn’t hold back afterward.
"I thought he was the best player in the game," Self said."I thought he was really good."
That kind of praise matters, especially when it comes from a coach who clearly noticed how Blyden changed the tone. The sophomore played two more minutes than Kinney and finished with 15 points, 10 more than Kinney, tying Tyran Stokes for the second-most points in the game. He shot 67% from the floor and looked every bit like a player who knows how to handle college basketball speed.
Kinney, for his part, has been the more productive option in the exhibitions. He logged more minutes in every exhibition for Kansas and, by that standard, outplayed Blyden enough to earn the starting job. But the opener suggested that role could be fluid, especially with Blyden bringing a year of college experience that Kinney simply doesn’t have yet.
That experience showed up in the numbers from Blyden’s time at Toledo, where he averaged 16.4 points per game last season along with 4.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds. Against Fordham, he looked like a player who could make a real case to keep that starting spot.
For Kansas, though, this doesn’t have to be a setback for Kinney. If anything, it could be the right kind of pressure. Self needs dependable bench pieces after last season’s struggles with reserve production, and Kinney has the talent to fill that role right away.
There’s also a bigger picture here for the five-star recruit. With so many top freshmen taking the one-and-done path - including Stokes, who is expected to do the same - Kinney may not need to force that timeline. He could follow a different route, one that gives him more room to grow before jumping to the next level.
The Duke example is a useful one. Cayden Boozer, another five-star recruit, stayed with the Blue Devils for a second season while his twin brother Cameron Boozer went the one-and-done route and became the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. That decision didn’t make Cayden a lesser player; it simply gave him more time to sharpen his game.
Kinney could benefit from the same kind of patience. He has the talent to project as a late first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, but another season at Kansas could do even more for him. With the turnover the Jayhawks are likely to face next season, he could be in line to become a major star if he stays put and keeps developing.
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 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 🡒]
UCF Suddenly Has More Problems Than BYU Fans Realized
UCFs trip to Baylor turned into a harsh reality check, as the Knights were routed 41-9 and came away without a touchdown for the first time this season. The bigger concern for anyone watching from a Kansas perspective is how many layers of trouble showed up at once, with Baylor piling up a season-high 503 yards and the Knights looking out of sync on both sides of the ball.
Scott Frost pointed to offensive line problems, while defensive coordinator Alex Grinch acknowledged communication breakdowns that left the unit chasing the game. The injury news only deepened the setback, with Owen Spell and RJ Jackson Jr. confirmed out for the rest of the season, leaving UCF with more to sort through than a single bad afternoon. [Read more 🡒]