Kansas is back in CBS Sports’ preseason picture, and Tre White’s return appears to be a big reason why.
When Gary Parrish first unveiled his preseason top 25 for the coming college basketball season, Kansas wasn’t just outside the top tier - it was nowhere on the list at all. Bill Self and the Jayhawks were left out completely. That changed Monday, after White announced last week that he would return to Lawrence for another year.
Parrish’s updated rankings now have Kansas at No. 18 nationally, which puts the Jayhawks in the top 25 after the bonus team is factored in. The jump is a notable one, and it comes after White’s decision gave KU a major roster lift.
In Parrish’s write-up, he pointed to the pieces already back in place for Self. “This ranking is based on the Jayhawks returning three of the top 11 scorers -- specifically Tre White, Kohl Rosario and Paul Mbiya -- from a team that finished 24-11 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament,” Parrish wrote.
He also noted the talent Kansas is adding around that returning group: “That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by five-star prospects Tyran Stokes and Taylen Kinney, four-star prospects Davion Adkins, Trent Perry and Luke Barnett, Charleston transfer Christian Reeves, Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr., Utah transfer Keanu Dawes and Radford transfer Dennis Parker Jr,” he continued.
White brings experience and two-way production on the wing, but the spotlight in Lawrence will still be brightest on Tyran Stokes. The freshman is the top-rated recruit in the country and is being viewed as a potential National Player of the Year candidate.
Kansas’ supporting cast matters too, with Parrish specifically naming Utah transfer Keanu Dawes and Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr. as key pieces. And if point guard Melvin Council Jr. were to win his own lawsuit in New York and receive eligibility, that would give the Jayhawks another major boost.
After White’s return, Kansas is no longer an omission in the preseason conversation. It’s back where it belongs, at least for now, in the national mix.
In Other News...
Kansas Backfield Just Became Lance Leipolds Biggest Early Problem
Kansas early-season injury list keeps growing, and the latest blow has hit the part of the roster that can least afford it. The Jayhawks have already been dealing with absences across both sides of the ball, with linebacker Bam Crouch, wide receiver Cam Pickett, tight end Carson Bruhn and cornerback Syeed Gibbs among the players sidelined, but the backfield has quickly become the most immediate concern for Lance Leipold and his staff.
Running back Yasin Willis is now out after surgery, leaving the Jayhawks scrambling to keep depth intact in the ground game. To help steady things, Kansas added defensive tackle Clifton Thompson and running back Chase Belcher last week, a move that underscored just how thin the room has become with three scholarship backs unavailable. The bigger question now is how long the Jayhawks can piece things together before the strain starts showing on Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Just Got A Melvin Council Twist Fans Werent Expecting
A legal wrinkle has put Melvin Council Jr. back into the Kansas conversation just as the offseason picture was starting to settle. A judge in Monroe County, New York, issued a preliminary injunction that keeps the guard eligible for the 2026-27 basketball season and bars the NCAA from reaching back with retroactive penalties against him or any school that might roster him.
For Kansas, the immediate intrigue is less about a finished answer than the uncertainty around where this leaves Council next. He was recently listed in the student directory, but the university has not confirmed enrollment, and the injunctions length is still unclear. The NCAA also could appeal, which means the situation remains fluid even as Jayhawks fans look for signs that one more roster piece may be falling into place. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Suddenly Has A Real Chance To Get Melvin Council Back
Melvin Council Jr. is back in the conversation at Kansas after a New York court gave his eligibility fight a major boost. The ruling arrived as a preliminary injunction, and it changes the landscape by making it possible for a school to roster him while the case plays out, which is the kind of development that can quickly shift how a transfer puzzle looks for a program still sorting out its backcourt picture.
The broader issue hinges on whether his time at Monroe College counts against his eligibility under the NCAA's 5-in-5 rule, and the court said it should not. The NCAA can still appeal, so this is not the final word, but it does create a real opening for Council to return to college basketball, with Kansas suddenly having a legitimate reason to keep watching how this unfolds. [Read more 🡒]