Kansas still has one more roster path it can chase, and it runs through a courtroom.
For months, Bill Self and the Jayhawks have been trying to find another piece for the 2026-27 roster. They already landed Mihailo Mušikić from the overseas pool, but his eligibility has become cloudy because of the NCAA’s new age-based rules for international players. That has left Kansas searching for one final transfer option, and at the moment, Melvin Council Jr. is the name worth watching.
Council, a former KU guard, went undrafted this summer and later played with the New Orleans Pelicans in NBA Summer League. Now he’s trying to put that pro path on pause and gain another year of college eligibility through the courts. He filed suit against the NCAA in July, looking for one more season.
The case has already taken a few turns. Council first filed in Kansas, then voluntarily dismissed that case in late August and refiled in New York. Part of the reason for the move was that other student-athletes have had success in New York getting temporary restraining orders against the NCAA.
There is a key date coming up fast. Court documents show the New York judge assigned to Council’s case has ordered the NCAA to appear on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and explain why Council should not be allowed to compete during the 2026-27 season. The judge did not immediately grant a TRO, so Council still has work to do before he can officially get back to college.
Even if he wins, a return to Kansas is not guaranteed. The Big 12 recently put in place a policy that bars schools from allowing professional athletes to compete, and Council’s Summer League stint could leave him exposed to that rule.
The NCAA has also argued that Council’s professional basketball activity impacted his eligibility. Council’s position is that he did not sign a professional contract or receive payment for his Summer League run.
So the picture is still murky. A New York injunction plus Kansas bringing Council back as a transfer would be a long shot. But for a program still trying to plug holes on its roster, it remains one of the last realistic avenues left this offseason.
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Tre White Just Put Kansas In A Bigger Roster Waiting Game
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For Kansas, the timing matters because the front office of the roster picture is still being sorted out as the season approaches. The legal fight remains ongoing after a temporary restraining order recently expired, with more court filings expected, and the Jayhawks are also dealing with other eligibility matters around the edges, including waivers filed for former Rutgers center Emmanuel Ogbole. [Read more 🡒]
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Leipold offered only partial clarity, leaving the Jayhawks to weigh what the depth chart might look like if any of those players cannot go. Chase Jenkins and Quincy Davis are among the options being considered for expanded roles, but the real uncertainty sits with the players whose status will shape both the offense and the defense heading into a conference game that already carries plenty of weight. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Will Get Two Huge Chances To Prove Itself In Big 12 Play
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The timing only adds to the intrigue, since both games come in the heart of Big 12 play, when every result carries extra weight and every slip can reshape the standings. For Kansas, these are the sorts of nights that can sharpen a rsum, measure progress against high-level competition and remind everyone watching how much a Big Monday spotlight still matters in college basketball. [Read more 🡒]