Kansas basketball is still in the mix for two of the biggest names in the 2027 class, and both recruits trimmed their lists to eight schools on Wednesday.
Malachi Jordan and Antonio Pemberton each included Kansas among their finalists, keeping Bill Self’s program firmly in the hunt as the summer starts to wind down. Pemberton is ranked No. 33 in the class by 247Sports and is listed as the eighth-best point guard. Jordan sits at No. 17 in the same rankings and is the fifth-best small forward prospect.
Kansas already has a pledge from Javon Bardwell, the 15th-ranked player in the class and another small forward. There has been some chatter about Bardwell possibly reclassifying into 2026, but nothing has been announced, and the calendar is getting late in the summer.
That matters because the roster picture is still murky. It’s not clear how many openings Self has left to fill, and the current group is loaded with youth.
Keanu Dawes is entering what would be his fourth season, though the new five-in-five rule gives him a fifth year of eligibility. The same is true for Dennis Parker Jr., while 2026 would be the fifth season for Christian Reeves.
Beyond former walk-on junior Will Thengvall, everyone else on the roster is either a freshman or a sophomore. Tyran Stokes looks like a likely one-and-done, and Dawes and freshman Taylen Kinney could also test the pro waters after this season. Right now, Kansas does not appear to have many open spots for next year.
That said, this is the NIL era, where rosters can turn over fast and hard. Kansas would love to look at this group and feel confident there are only two or three scholarships available. But a year ago, nobody expected Flory Bidunga and Byson Tiller to leave.
Pemberton, a 6-1 point guard, brings a specific kind of game. 247Sports scouting director Adam Finkelstein describes him as more of a scorer than a pure setup man, but also as a player with the mental edge and confidence to take the biggest shot.
"Pemberton is a tough-shot taker and maker. He loves his pull-up game, both from the mid-range and three, has good lift into his release, the type of natural fade that requires very little separation, and yet still soft touch on the rim... He’s also tight with his handle, capable of stringing together multiple moves to shake his defender, and very proficient at changing speeds with hang dribbles."
Finkelstein also points to room for growth on offense, along with active hands and feet on defense and a competitive streak. Those traits fit what Self usually wants.
Jordan, meanwhile, is drawing even more attention from some of the major services. ESPN and On3 both rank him higher than 247Sports does, with On3 placing him No. 14 and ESPN putting him at No.
- None of the services have published a scouting report on him yet, but a prospect rated that highly is clearly on Kansas’ radar for a reason.
There’s also a roster fit angle here. Pemberton plays the same position as freshman Taylen Kinney and sophomore Leroy Blyden Jr.
Kinney could be good enough to head to the NBA after one season, though he is not the biggest guard. Blyden is even smaller.
If Kansas is pursuing Pemberton, the staff may already be viewing Kinney as a possible one-and-done.
If Pemberton picked Kansas and the other two stayed, the Jayhawks could have a dangerous backcourt in 2027.
Jordan’s path looks a little cleaner. Outside of Stokes, Trent Perry is the only other small forward on the roster, though Kohl Rosario and Luke Barnett could also slide into that spot in Self’s system. At the moment, significant playing time appears easier to project for Jordan than for Pemberton, though a lot can change over the next nine months.
For Kansas, the message is clear: the staff is aiming high. Self is after a certain kind of player, and both Jordan and Pemberton will have to meet his standards.
In Other News...
Former Jayhawk Suddenly Has A New Eligibility Fight With The NCAA
A new NCAA eligibility fight has pulled a former Kansas guard into a broader legal challenge that could shape how the sport handles the next wave of roster decisions. Jayden Dawson is among 52 basketball players who filed suit in Guilford County, North Carolina, asking for a path to the 2026-27 season under the NCAAs new five-year eligibility rule, a dispute that reaches beyond any one program and into the way schools are already planning ahead.
For Kansas fans, Dawsons name is a reminder of how quickly the transfer-era timeline can change. He spent one season in Lawrence after arriving in the spring of 2025, then dealt with a late-November wrist injury before eventually entering the portal with no eligibility left, and now his case is part of a larger push led by attorney Andrew G. Pinto that argues the new rule should apply to players whose college careers are already over or still in motion. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Self Still Has One Big Kansas Frontcourt Concern
Kansas still has time before the games count, but Bill Selfs frontcourt picture is not fully settled as October approaches. Christian Reeves is expected to be ready to go at full speed for the season, and his size gives the Jayhawks another option inside, but Self has made clear the staff is still sorting out how the big-man rotation will look once the calendar turns.
Self also left the door open to adding another frontcourt piece if the right fit becomes available, a sign that Kansas is not treating depth as a finished product just yet. The next clues will come during the Jayhawks three October exhibition games, which should give a better sense of how the interior rotation is taking shape and whether the roster has enough size to hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas 2026 Season Already Feels Bigger Than Just Another Title Run
Kansas is heading into 2026 with the kind of roster buzz that usually comes only after a deep tournament run, and the center of it all is Tyran Stokes. The challenge is not just finding enough talent around him, but shaping the offense so he does not have to carry every possession. Leory Blyden Jr. and incoming freshman Taylen Kinney could help lighten that load, giving the Jayhawks more ways to handle the ball and more options as the season starts to take shape.
The schedule, though, is hardly built for easing into anything. Before Big 12 play even begins, Kansas is lined up for a string of heavyweight tests against Kentucky, Villanova, Missouri, UConn and Ohio State, plus an exhibition against Duke that will draw attention in its own right. Add in the broader sense that every Kansas season now comes with questions about Bill Selfs future, and this already feels like more than a standard title defense - it feels like a year that could say a lot about where the program is headed next. [Read more 🡒]