Melvin Council Jr. Embraces Leadership Role at Kansas, Leaves Door Open for Potential Return
Melvin Council Jr. isn’t ready to close the book on his college basketball journey just yet - at least not emotionally. The Kansas Jayhawks’ high-energy guard has become a fan favorite in Lawrence, and it’s not hard to see why.
He brings grit, swagger, and a “dog” mentality that’s sparked something in this KU squad. And while nothing is official, the idea of Council returning for a sixth year has been floating around - especially among hopeful Jayhawks fans.
When asked about the possibility of coming back for another season, Council didn’t shut the door.
“I haven’t looked into that,” he said. “But I’ve been hearing things, seeing things and stuff like that.”
He’s referring to the buzz - from message boards to social media - where fans are dreaming up scenarios in which Council could suit up again in crimson and blue for the 2026-27 season. The eligibility conversation is a complicated one, especially with ongoing NCAA cases involving players with junior college backgrounds.
Council’s path has taken him from Monroe College to Wagner, then St. Bonaventure, and now Kansas.
This season marks his fifth year of college hoops, but depending on how the NCAA rules shake out, there might be a slim window for a sixth.
“I would love to come back if I had another year,” he said with a grin. “It’s Kansas.
Why not? You know ...
Bill Self.”
And Self? He’s not ruling anything out either, though he’s realistic about the hurdles.
“I don’t know. I haven’t studied it,” Self said.
“There would have to be some things that are done. And the NCAA has made statements that they’re certainly frowning on waivers.
I don’t really know or understand, but would I love that? Absolutely.
I love coaching him.”
Council’s impact on this team goes far beyond the box score - though the numbers are solid: 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds per game, and a crisp 111 assists to just 33 turnovers. But it’s his leadership, especially in the wake of KU’s January 10 loss at West Virginia, that’s helped steady the ship.
After that 86-75 defeat in Morgantown, Council was one of the voices who called for a players-only meeting. Since then? Six straight wins and a renewed sense of purpose.
“We just had to lock in and bring the Kansas basketball program back,” Council said. “The past couple years haven’t been like the Kansas (teams of past).
Those two losses … it was pretty rough. Coach always preached to us that we’ve got to protect the home court and steal some ones on the road, and that’s what we’ll try to do moving forward.”
That meeting sparked a shift. The team’s energy is different now - more connected, more focused. Self sees it too.
“Yes, we’re playing better. Guys are seeming to enjoy it more,” Self said.
“I think that attitudes have been good. I don’t think they were ever bad.
It’s just we were just kind of blah. And I think we certainly showed more energy.
Winning is more fun than not winning, so probably a combination of all those things.”
Council’s “dog” mentality - something KU fans have embraced with playful barking chants whenever he touches the ball - has become contagious. It’s not just a nickname; it’s a mindset that’s permeated the locker room.
“Like I said before, I’m like the keys to the car, you know? So that dog is going to start with me, and then my teammates will always have my back,” he said. “As I go, they go, and when I’m not going, they try to pick me up so I can go.”
That leadership was on full display during KU’s gritty 64-61 road win over Texas Tech. With just over a minute left, Council lofted a perfect pass over two defenders to Darryn Peterson, who buried a corner three to tie the game. Moments later, Peterson hit the game-winner - another three, this time from the left wing in front of the Jayhawks’ bench.
“Well, the first pass, he got him the ball,” Self said of Council’s feed. “You could also say, well, Flory (Bidunga) is the one who got him open too with the screen.
But the first pass, Melvin got him involved. With the second pass, Flory set a screen and Darryn just jumped up and made it off the bounce.
So you could say that about Mel, but you could also say it about Flory, because he freed him twice.”
Council said the game-tying shot came straight from the practice playbook.
“Yeah, we practice that play all the time,” he said. “But what I could say is, I’m mad at Darren when he pump-fakes, then shoots it.
I don’t know why you do that. I knew it was going to go in, because he does that in practice all the time.
That was like a free throw to him.
“Usually I have to dribble, then I pass it, but I didn’t even dribble. So it was kind of a weird pass.
And they said that he was, like, falling out of bounds a little bit. So I’m just glad he made the shot.”
With Kansas sitting at 17-5 overall and 7-2 in Big 12 play, they’re trending in the right direction. And Council? Whether this is his final ride or not, he’s leaving his mark - not just as a scorer or playmaker, but as the emotional engine of a team rediscovering its identity.