Kansas enters the 2026-27 season with a roster that looks very different from the one many fans were sizing up earlier in the offseason. After a busy preseason filled with high-profile exhibition games in Allen Fieldhouse and three late additions that shifted the mood around the program, the Jayhawks head into the regular season ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll but widely viewed by most outlets as a legitimate national title contender.
That kind of depth makes the scoring picture tough to sort out. Kansas has plenty of players who can put the ball in the basket, and the pecking order could change depending on lineup combinations and game flow. Still, a few names stand out as the likeliest to drive the offense this year.
David Coit projects as one of the team’s steadier scoring options. His outside shot can come and go, but he already showed in the exhibitions that he can be a real factor for this group.
Last season, he averaged 12.7 points while taking heavy volume, including 10 games with 15 or more shot attempts. With Kansas bringing more backcourt depth this year, he should not need to carry the same kind of load he did a season ago, but his ability to finish and draw fouls should keep him in the double figures.
Freshman Darryn Peterson will also be a major part of the scoring mix, whether he starts or comes off the bench. The five-star guard brings a scorer’s mentality and isn’t shy about shooting even when it drags down his percentages.
Against Duke, he scored 14 points on 15 shots and showed some polished mid-range touch. As the season unfolds, his confidence should keep growing, and so should his production.
Thomas Haugh brings a different kind of punch to the frontcourt. There will be some adjustment as he gets back into game speed, but when he’s right, he’s a force in the paint.
The former Purdue standout is only two years removed from averaging more than 20 points in the Big Ten as the top option on a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He’s probably the best post scorer Kansas has had since Hunter Dickinson, and Bill Self has never been shy about feeding his big men.
November and December may not produce eye-popping numbers, but by season’s end, Haugh should be around 14 points per game, right in line with his 2025-26 production.
Tre White arrives with a resume that suggests he can score efficiently without dominating the ball. After spending much of the offseason training with proven NBA players, he appears further along than most of his teammates.
Last year he averaged 13.5 points per game and often had to serve as the offense’s first option. With a 40% mark from three and strong free-throw shooting, he can pile up points without needing a ton of shots.
Some nights he’ll be quiet, but he has the kind of game that can still produce 20 or more when the jumper is falling. He also gives Kansas a veteran voice it did not have before he joined the team last month, and that experience should help the younger players around him.
Then there’s Tyran Stokes, who figures to be the center of everything Kansas does offensively in his freshman year. His all-around skill set already has NBA scouts paying close attention, and defenders have to account for far more than just his scoring.
In Kansas’ three exhibitions, he got to the line 38 times, which works out to nearly 13 free throws per game. If he keeps drawing that many whistles and converts at a strong rate, he has a real chance to finish among the nation’s top 10 scorers.
In the loss to Duke, Stokes put up 27 points, going 7-for-17 from the field, 2-for-7 from deep, and 11-for-15 at the stripe while adding 8 rebounds and 7 assists in 37 minutes. The 3-point shot and overall efficiency remain questions, but the production is already undeniable. If he stays on that kind of path, Stokes would be aiming to become the third Jayhawk this decade, after Jalen Wilson and Darryn Peterson, to top 20 points per game in a season.
In Other News...
Kansas Opener Puts All Eyes On Tyran Stokes And One Newcomer
Kansas is about to start its nonconference schedule against Fordham, and the Jayhawks head into the opener with more curiosity than certainty after a pair of exhibitions against Duke and Louisville. Those tuneups gave Bill Self a first real look at a roster stocked with freshmen, including top recruit Tyran Stokes, while also offering early evidence that the new pieces are starting to settle in around a team still taking shape.
One of the more important additions is Purdue transfer Trey Kaufman-Renn, who Self expects to be ready for the season opener. Between Stokes early flashes and Kaufman-Renns arrival, Kansas has enough newness to make the first month worth watching closely, even as the staff keeps sorting out what this group can become once the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Now Faces A Big 12 Future Without Brett Yormark
Brett Yormarks decision to step away as Big 12 commissioner eventually closes a significant chapter for a league that has spent the last few years in constant motion. Since taking over in August 2022, Yormark helped steer the conference through a major media-rights overhaul, oversaw its expansion to 16 teams and locked in tournament extensions and sponsorships that gave the league a more stable footing in a turbulent era.
For Kansas, the timing adds another layer to a future that already feels more unsettled than it used to. Yormark will remain in the post through January 2027, which gives the Big 12 a runway to sort out what comes next, but his exit still marks the end of a transformational stretch that reshaped the leagues identity and competitive landscape. The conferences leadership was quick to thank him for it, a sign of how much ground was covered during his tenure and how much still remains to be defined. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Suddenly Has A Quarterback Concern Heading Into TCU
Kansas got a bit of new uncertainty at the most important position on the field as the injury report turned Isaiah Marshall from probable to questionable for the upcoming game against TCU. Marshall has started all seven games this season, but soreness and injuries have been part of the picture, and his status now leaves the Jayhawks waiting to see whether their offense will have its usual quarterback in place.
Cole Ballard and Chase Jenkins are the next options if Marshall cannot go, which adds a layer of urgency to a matchup Kansas had likely hoped to approach with more stability. For a team trying to keep its rhythm intact, the change in Marshalls outlook is the kind of late-week development that can alter a game plan quickly, and it leaves one of the biggest questions of the week hanging until kickoff nears. [Read more 🡒]