Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. are back around Kansas basketball, and for now, they’re being treated like they never left.
Both players were on the floor Thursday during KU’s 45-minute open practice at Allen Fieldhouse, even though their eligibility situations are still unresolved. White and Council have each landed a preliminary injunction, which lets them practice and play while the NCAA continues its appeals process. White is one of 96 plaintiffs in Indiana, while Council’s case is in New York.
Kansas announced White’s return on Sept. 25 and Council’s on Oct. 4. The two were starters on last season’s 24-11 team, and their presence has already made an impression on a roster that is still coming together.
“They’re such good people,” sophomore guard Kohl Rosario said of seniors White and Council. “They didn’t come back expecting anything.
When Melvin came back, he went in right away and played defense with the scout team by his choice. That shows the type of person he is.
“And Tre, too. They’re here to work hard and earn their spot. They’re adding experience, culture and talent that’s going to push us really far.”
Senior forward Keanu Dawes, a Utah transfer expected to be one of the team’s main leaders, said the late additions haven’t thrown anything off.
“It’s definitely different,” Dawes said. “In this day and age you’ve kind of got to be a pro about everything and just be prepared no matter what comes with it.
They have been really good, bringing extra leadership, a lot of experience. You go to the NBA, you play in that (summer league), then come back to college and it’s a little bit different.
You know how to maneuver.”
White played for the Miami Heat and Council for the New Orleans Pelicans during July’s Las Vegas summer league, and that NBA run has already carried over into workouts.
“They’ve been really good leaders, a lot of talk about what it’s like to play for coach (Bill) Self and helping us, because we are a new team. Those two having a lot of experience can help us get through certain times,” Dawes stated.
Dawes, a 6-9 forward from Houston, also said leadership comes in different forms.
“A lot of people are vocal. Some people lead by example. Everyone has their own way,” Dawes said.
Rosario said he’s relieved to have White and Council back in the mix as another source of leadership.
“They’re calling me the senior, the old man in the group, but it’s only my second year,” Rosario said. “I’m glad that we’ve got Tre, Melvin back as another (aspect) of leadership to kind of help control the team, control the culture. I was really excited when we found out they were returning.”
He said no one needed to be formally brought up to speed.
“They watched last year,” Rosario said of the team’s first-year Jayhawks. “They didn’t think about the new rules (granting White a fifth year and Council a sixth) but they knew who they were and they fit right in.”
As for the uncertainty hanging over both players, Rosario didn’t sound worried.
“Doesn’t it take a year to appeal? Basketball is over by then,” he said, smiling.
In Other News...
Kansas Faces One More Problem In Brutal Road Test At Utah
Kansas is already staring at a difficult assignment in Salt Lake City, where the Jayhawks will face No. 12 Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium in a game that has been pushed earlier because of the expected impact from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel. The road setting alone makes this a stiff test, but the weather forecast adds another layer of uncertainty for a Kansas team trying to steady itself away from home.
Salt Lake City has been under a wind advisory, and there is a chance of thunderstorm activity during the game, conditions that could shape everything from field position to the kicking game. For Kansas, that is especially notable given the special teams issues it has already had to manage, turning what was already a brutal road trip into a matchup where even the elements could become part of the problem. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces Its Biggest Big 12 Test Yet At Utah
Kansas heads to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday night for its toughest Big 12 assignment yet, a late kickoff against No. 12 Utah that will say plenty about where the Jayhawks stand in the league race. Utah is undefeated, favored by 15.5 points and sitting atop the Big 12 in scoring defense, while Kansas comes in at 2-2 with a defense that has shown it can keep the Jayhawks in games.
The backdrop makes this more than just another road trip. A 9:15 p.m. CT start on ESPN puts Kansas in a hostile setting against a team that has handled every challenge so far, and the Jayhawks will need one of their cleanest efforts of the season to leave Salt Lake City with momentum. Whether this becomes a turning point or a reminder of the gap Kansas still has to close, it is the kind of test that can shape the rest of the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Lineup Puzzle Could Reshape A Key Starting Battle
Kansas has spent the offseason trying to make its lineup a little less predictable, and the return of Tre White only adds to the options Bill Self and his staff are weighing. The latest wrinkle is Utah transfer Keanu Dawes, who has shown an openness to playing multiple spots, including center, giving the Jayhawks a potential way to play smaller without losing too much size on the floor.
Christian Reeves and Paul Mbiya still matter in the frontcourt picture, but the center spot may not be as straightforward as it once looked heading into the season. If Dawes can handle that role, Kansas could unlock more versatility in its rotation and create a different kind of starting battle than many expected. [Read more 🡒]