LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball has been busy reshaping its roster this offseason in preparation for the 2025-26 campaign.
The Jayhawks have added three guards from the transfer portal: Jayden Dawson (Loyola-Chicago), Tre White (Illinois), and Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure). These additions help fill gaps left by recent departures, as several players opted to transfer out.
Head coach Bill Self and his staff — now adjusting to the retirement of longtime assistant Norm Roberts — continue to recruit and build around a promising core. That includes incoming five-star freshman guard Darryn Peterson and returning forward Flory Bidunga, who’s coming off a strong freshman year.
But following a disappointing 2024-25 season that ended with a first-round NCAA tournament exit, questions remain: Has Kansas done enough to start the new season as a top 25 team? What impact could further additions have?
Here’s a look at where early projections place Kansas in the rankings:
CBS Sports — No. 17
Kansas lands at No. 17, behind several Big 12 rivals: No. 1 Houston, No. 5 BYU, No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 10 Arizona, and No. 12 Iowa State. Winning the conference will be a tough challenge.
FOX Sports — No. 19
Kansas comes in at No. 19, also trailing five Big 12 teams: No. 3 Houston, No. 5 Texas Tech, No. 11 Iowa State, No. 14 Arizona, and No. 17 BYU. KU has room to rise, but competition will be stiff.
ESPN — No. 21
Here, Kansas ranks No. 21 — the lowest of the three projections. The Jayhawks again trail Houston (No. 4), BYU (No. 5), Texas Tech (No. 8), Arizona (No. 12), and Iowa State (No. 13), indicating a tough climb ahead to stay in the national spotlight.
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