Kansas basketball has two open roster spots to work with, and the recent federal court injunction that opened the door for a wave of extra eligibility has given Bill Self and the Jayhawks a chance to explore some interesting options.
The frontcourt remains the clearest need, but KU is also keeping an eye on help in the backcourt and on the wing. With Mihailo Mušikić still only a slim possibility to be ruled eligible by the NCAA, there’s a real chance one of these names ends up in Lawrence this summer.
One of the first big-man names tied to Kansas was former Michigan State center Szymon Kołkowski? Wait source says Kohler.
We'll keep source. Former Michigan State big man Kohler was first connected to KU when the preliminary injunction was announced two weeks ago.
That said, the momentum now appears to be swinging toward BYU, which On3 has described as the “frontrunner” for him. Even if Kohler is no longer the most likely fit, Kansas still needs another center to surface if Mušikić doesn’t become available.
In the backcourt, Oriol brings the kind of scoring punch that can change a second unit. He just finished a huge senior season at North Florida, putting up 20.9 points and 4.3 assists per game.
Multiple outlets reported that he had heard from Kansas when he first started thinking about another year in college. KU already has plenty of guards who can score, but another shot-maker off the bench would make sense, especially if the staff wants instant offense from the first or second player in.
Council’s path back to college looks far less certain. The NCAA recently submitted a 20-page response in his eligibility lawsuit, and the case does not appear to be trending in his favor.
It should be resolved by the end of the month at the latest. There were already discussions about Council returning to college before his first season at Kansas had even ended, and his situation is unusual because the two years he spent at junior college came because of extenuating circumstances tied to a legal case that was later dismissed.
Even so, the NCAA is holding firm, and the courts will have to sort it out. If Council somehow is cleared for next season, it would be tough to picture him doing it anywhere other than KU.
The most interesting name in the group may be White. Online buzz has suggested he, not Council, could be the Jayhawk who benefits from the injunction, and while the national chatter has been relatively quiet, there is growing belief that a return to Kansas could happen.
White went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft and then played for the Miami Heat in Summer League, where he averaged 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in Las Vegas. That performance reportedly impressed the Heat. The 6-foot-7 forward would be a major pickup for Kansas and would likely slide right into a starting role from the opening tip.
During his lone season in Lawrence, White averaged a career-best 13.5 points per game to go with 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 45.0% from the field. He also shot better than 40% from three, giving Kansas exactly the kind of 3-and-D wing production that plays on both ends.
In Other News...
Bill Self Revealed What Brought Him Back To Kansas Sideline
Bill Selfs return to the Kansas sideline came after a stretch that forced him to think hard about life beyond coaching. Following the 2026 NCAA Tournament, health concerns pushed him to briefly weigh retirement, a rare pause for a coach who has spent so much of his career defining the Jayhawks. Now, with his health in a good place, Self is back and getting ready to guide a roster that will look plenty different when the new season begins.
The decision was not made quickly, and it followed a series of medical conversations that gave Self a clearer picture of where he stood. Those talks helped settle the question of whether stepping away was necessary, and he ultimately chose to keep coaching at Kansas. For a program that has long followed his lead, the bigger story now is how he handles a retooled team while leaving the uncertainty of this offseason behind him. [Read more 🡒]
Melvin Council's Kansas Future Now Hinges On One Critical Decision
Melvin Council Jr.s path at Kansas is now tied to a legal fight that could reshape his college basketball clock. The former junior college guard is suing the NCAA, arguing that his time in junior college should not count against his NCAA eligibility, and Kansas is watching closely as Bill Selfs program waits to see whether Council will ultimately be cleared to suit up.
The next major step comes Sept. 4, when a hearing on Councils motion for a temporary injunction is scheduled. If he gets the ruling he is seeking, he could be allowed to play while the lawsuit continues, leaving Kansas with a potentially important piece for the 2026-27 season and Councils future hanging on the court and in the courtroom at once. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Lineup Could Look Very Different If Tre White Comes Back
Kansas is already thinking ahead to a roster that could look a whole lot different if Tre White finds his way back into college basketball. Recent court rulings involving players from the 2022 recruiting class have opened the door to the possibility of an extra year of eligibility, and that has naturally led to some lineup speculation in Lawrence. In that scenario, White would be part of a group that could also feature Tyran Stokes and give the Jayhawks a very different look on both ends of the floor.
But the situation is far from settled, and the uncertainty is what makes it worth watching. Whites path back would depend on temporary eligibility relief, and his NBA Summer League involvement plus a reported Exhibit 10 agreement with the Miami Heat could complicate things further. For now, Kansas can only keep one eye on a possible return and another on the reality that no official decision has been made. [Read more 🡒]