Kansas basketball has still found ways to land elite high school talent, even as the sport has changed around it. NIL and the transfer portal may have chipped away at the old blue-blood advantage, and the Jayhawks haven’t made it past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2022, when they won it all. But Allen Fieldhouse, the level of competition, and the pull of staff members like Kurtis Townsend and Bill Self keep Kansas in the mix for top-end recruits.
Since the class of 2020, six five-stars have joined the program, and the list brings together players who made an impact in Lawrence, players who barely got started, and a couple of incoming names still waiting to write their Kansas story.
Bryce Thompson comes in last among the group, though his career arc after leaving Kansas showed plenty of talent. The 6-foot-5 guard out of Booker T.
Washington High School spent one season with the Jayhawks before heading across the conference to Oklahoma State. In his lone KU season, he put up 4.6 points, 1.1 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 17 minutes per game, with four starts.
At Oklahoma State, Thompson settled in and thrived, averaging 11.8 points, 1.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds while making 113 starts over his final four seasons.
Taylen Kinney slots in next, even though he has not played a minute for Kansas yet. The incoming guard from the class of 2026 already showed plenty at OTE, where his shotmaking and creation stood out.
During the 2024-25 season, Kinney averaged 20.2 points, four rebounds, five assists and just over two steals while shooting 55.6% from the field. Last season, his assist numbers climbed to 6.1, but his scoring dipped from 20.1 to 18.8 and his field goal percentage fell from 55.6% to 40.6%.
If Kansas can get the best version of both seasons, he could be a problem.
Gradey Dick lands in the middle of the pack after a strong one-and-done type of season in Lawrence. The small forward from the class of 2022 started all 36 games for Kansas in 2022-23 and averaged 14 points, five rebounds, 1.7 assists and about 1.5 steals per game.
His biggest weapon was the three-ball, where he hit 40.3% from deep. Dick also had a season-high 26 points in a win over Oklahoma State in February 2023.
Flory Bidunga gets the nod at No. 3, and the case for him is built more on defense than offense. He was never really Kansas’ top scoring option, but in his sophomore year especially, he became one of the nation’s most impactful defenders.
His ability to guard every position, stay out of foul trouble and pile up blocks made him a major piece for one of the country’s best defenses. Bidunga ultimately chose to pursue the Louisville Cardinals for his final two years of eligibility.
Darryn Peterson could have easily been placed first, and the gap between him and the top spot is not a wide one. The No. 1 player in the class of 2025 brought huge highs to Kansas, the kind that could quiet an arena in a hurry.
He finished his Jayhawk career with averages of 20 points, four rebounds and 1.6 assists, shooting 43.8% from the field and 38.2% from three. Health issues kept him from fully becoming the top name on this list, but the talent was obvious.
At No. 1 is Tyran Stokes, another class of 2026 five-star and the No. 1 overall player. It’s a bold placement, but the argument is simple: Stokes looks like the most complete prospect of the bunch.
He rebounds, creates, defends and does just about everything you’d want from a modern wing. The biggest area to clean up is a slight tweak to an already effective shooting motion, and that’s a pretty good place to start.
According to MaxPreps, Stokes averaged 31 points, 13 rebounds and six assists while shooting 53% from the field, leading Rainier Beach High School to a 29-1 record and a second straight Class 3A State Title.
In Other News...
Kansas Football Just Made A Massive Statement About Its Future
Kansas is making a significant bet on its football future with the ongoing overhaul of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, a centerpiece of the broader Gateway District project. The renovation brings upgraded seating and modern fan amenities to a program that has spent years trying to build a more durable foundation, and the scale of the investment has put the Jayhawks among the biggest spenders in college football stadium work.
For athletic director Travis Goff and coach Lance Leipold, the timing matters as much as the construction itself. The changes are meant to give Kansas a better stage for fans and a stronger selling point with recruits, while the full project is still on track for completion later in the decade. Even the exterior design is being used to tie the new look back to local tradition, a reminder that this is about more than bricks and steel. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Legend John Riggins Is Getting A Rare Washington Honor
John Riggins place in Kansas football lore has long been secure, and now Washington is adding another layer to a career that already bridged college stardom and pro football immortality. The former Jayhawks standout and Pro Football Hall of Famer built his reputation as one of the most punishing runners of his era, first at Kansas and then with the franchise where he became a central figure in some of its biggest moments.
The Commanders said they will retire Riggins No. 44 jersey on Nov. 8, making him just the seventh player in Washington history to receive that honor. It is a fitting nod for a back who set franchise rushing records and became a Super Bowl MVP, and it also serves as another reminder of how rare this kind of recognition is for a player whose impact stretched from Lawrence to Washington in a way few others ever have. [Read more 🡒]
Former Kansas Star Just Reopened A Frustrating Jayhawks Debate
Darryn Petersons name still carries plenty of weight around Lawrence, and not just because he is projected as a possible top-two pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The former Kansas star has reopened an old conversation about how elite guards are used in college, saying he did not enjoy his time in the program because he was not in the action enough. For a fan base that watched him arrive with huge expectations, it is the kind of remark that lands hard and lingers.
It also comes at a time when Kansas is trying to keep its recruiting pipeline moving, with the staff already working the Class of 2027 and tracking names such as Javon Bardwell and Demarcus Henry. Add in the Big 12 and Kansas leaning into new corporate sponsorships tied to NIL support, and the program is clearly trying to build for what comes next. Petersons comments just make the familiar question feel fresh again: how does Kansas balance star power, development and the way its best players want to be used? [Read more 🡒]