The NCAA’s latest eligibility mess has thrown another wrinkle into Kansas basketball’s late-summer roster plans, and the timing could hardly be worse for Bill Self.
A new injunction has opened the door for players from the 2022 recruiting class to gain another year of eligibility, after the NCAA’s five-in-five rule left that group out while extending future classes. Several players challenged that setup in court and won, and for now the NCAA’s request for a stay has been denied. The ruling stands, even though the NCAA is still fighting it.
That leaves schools trying to sort through a fresh wave of available players with classes at Kansas set to begin in less than two weeks. KU still has two open roster spots, but plenty of programs do not, which means some of the players who suddenly became eligible may not have many places to land.
For Kansas, the focus appears to be on frontcourt help. The Jayhawks have been connected to Michigan State transfer Jaxson Kohler and former Rutgers big man Emmanuel Ogbole. KU also landed Serbian center Mihailo Musikic in July, but he is 24 years old and has a history of professional play, making it doubtful he will win his case.
There are also newer names in the mix. According to The Portal Report, Kansas has shown interest in Alfred Worrell of Morgan State and Kamrin Oriol of North Florida. Both are backcourt players, which makes the fit a little less obvious given the depth Kansas already has there.
Michael Swain of 247Sports suggested Tre White could become an option if the injunction remains in place, though it is unclear how that would fit with Keanu Dawes and Davion Adkins expected to play at the same spot.
Another possibility involves Melvin Council Jr., whom Through the Phog has explored as a potential return candidate if he wins his separate case against the NCAA. That situation is distinct from the broader injunction, and it appears unlikely Council will get cleared in time to join Kansas this season.
There is still one more moving part: Javon Bardwell, who is already committed to Kansas for 2027, could potentially reclassify into the 2026 class.
For now, Kansas is stuck waiting on a ruling body that has created more uncertainty than clarity. The next couple of weeks should bring answers, but right now the roster picture is still very much in flux.
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The practical value for the Jayhawks is easy to see: Zebrowski can now split the quarterbacks into separate groups during practice and spend more time giving each player the kind of focused instruction that is hard to manage when everyone is clustered together. For a program trying to develop depth and consistency at the most important position on the field, that kind of extra hand in the room could matter a lot. [Read more 🡒]
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For Kansas, the label itself may not change the day-to-day debate over who handles the minutes in the middle, but it does underscore how much the NCAAs international rules are evolving. Mbiya had been listed as a sophomore, and the new designation serves as another reminder that the Jayhawks are working through a center picture shaped as much by eligibility interpretation as by on-court performance. The bigger question is how all of that settles once the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces New Doubt In The Jaxon Kohler Chase
Kansas has been looking for frontcourt help ever since losing Flory Bidunga and dealing with Christian Reeves injury, and Jaxon Kohler had been viewed as one of the more intriguing names in that search. The big man had been weighing Kansas along with BYU, Kentucky and Michigan State, giving the Jayhawks a real chance to add size and experience to a roster that suddenly needed both.
Now the chase looks a little more complicated, with another major program entering the mix and adding a fresh layer of competition. Kohlers path is already clouded by NCAA eligibility questions for the 2026-27 season, so even for a team as persistent as Kansas, this is no simple recruiting battle - and it leaves the Jayhawks waiting on a decision that could reshape how they approach the frontcourt. [Read more 🡒]