Kansas’ projected 2026-27 starting five offers a clear look at why the Jayhawks landed inside the top 25.
Jeff Borzello slotted KU at No. 23 in his latest “Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings,” and the roster construction explains the placement. Kansas is bringing in a freshman group that looks loaded from top to bottom, led by five-stars and headlined by Tyran Stokes, the nation’s No. 1 player. In all, the Jayhawks’ freshman class includes two five-stars and three four-stars, with every recruit in the group except Grant Mordini and Atticus Richmond ranked inside the top 120 in the class.
The transfer haul is less flashy, but it still gives Kansas a much sturdier floor than it had a year ago. The additions are Dennis Parker Jr., a guard/forward from Radford; Christian Reeves, a transfer center from the College of Charleston; Leroy Blyden Jr., a combo guard from Toledo; and power forward Keanu Dawes from Utah.
Borzello’s projected starting lineup leaned into that mix of newcomers:
PG: Leroy Blyden Jr.
SG: Taylen Kinney
SF: Tyran Stokes
PF: Keanu Dawes
C: Christian Reeves
The backcourt alignment is the one part that can be shuffled. Reports have described both Blyden and Kinney as combo guards, and Kinney at point guard would make plenty of sense. But the bigger call came at center, where Borzello chose Reeves over sophomore Paul Mbiya.
That decision may not be settled right away. Reeves is coming off an injury-riddled stretch and is expected to be back to full fitness just before the season begins.
That opens the door for Mbiya to start early, especially with Fordham and Middle Tennessee on the schedule before Kentucky arrives. The real question is whether Mbiya can seize the job or whether Reeves works his way in and takes it.
Mbiya played 21 games last season and finished with 26 points, 30 rebounds and five blocks. He topped 10 minutes only four times in that span.
Reeves, meanwhile, put together a strong season at College of Charleston, averaging 11.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for a team that went 21-11. His work earned him All-CAA Third Team and CAA All-Defensive Team recognition.
The bigger picture for Kansas is simple: this group should solve the depth issues that showed up last season. Parker, Reeves or Mbiya, and possibly Davion Adkins, Luke Barnett or Trent Perry could all factor into the rotation, even with returning sophomore Kohl Rosario already occupying a bench spot.
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Paul Mbiyas offseason has been about more than just putting in the usual summer reps. The Kansas big man spent extended time training in France and came back looking like a different player, leaner and stronger after a stretch of work aimed at reshaping his body and his game. For a roster that is still sorting out its frontcourt, that matters, especially with Mbiya pushing to become a more reliable option in the middle for the 2026-27 season.
What has stood out to Kansas coaching staff is not just the physical change, but the way Mbiya has approached the process. He has been grinding on the details that can help a center earn more floor time, from footwork and passing to touch around the lane and added explosiveness. The Jayhawks have plenty to learn about how their rotation will settle, but Mbiya at least has given himself a better chance to be part of that conversation. [Read more 🡒]
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The most obvious concern is under center, where the games evaluation matches the uncertainty that has hovered over the position all offseason. The broader roster also looks thinner on defense than Kansas would like, with departures and transfer additions leaving plenty to sort through before the real games begin. For a program that wants to keep climbing in the league, the ratings are less a prediction than a reminder that the margin for error is still pretty small. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Selfs First KU Lineup Decision Could Define This Season
The first real lineup call of the Bill Self era will tell a lot about how Kansas wants to look when the season opens, and the early read points to a backcourt built around Taylen Kinney and Leroy Blyden Jr. Their fit is easy to understand: Kinney brings the ballhandling, Blyden brings the spacing, and Self has already signaled the two will share the floor plenty as he leans into the kind of combo-guard arrangement he has often trusted. Add Tyran Stokes, Keanu Dawes and either Paul Mbiya or Christian Reeves, and the Jayhawks can put together a group that blends size with enough perimeter skill to keep defenses honest.
The unresolved part is what happens if Self decides he wants even more shooting at the two, because that choice could ripple through the rest of the rotation. Jeremy Case has made clear why Blyden is so difficult to sit, but Kansas also has other options in Kohl Rosario and Dennis Parker Jr. if the staff wants a different look next to Kinney. The opening-night answer against Fordham is still a projection, not a promise, which is exactly what makes this lineup watch worth following as November approaches. [Read more 🡒]