Bill Self Says Kansas Roster Still Has Room for Changes
Kansas basketball’s roster has gone through another major transformation heading into the 2026-27 season, and Bill Self has made it clear that he feels good about the group he has assembled in Lawrence.
The Jayhawks will enter the season with a combination of highly regarded freshmen, returning players and transfers after another busy offseason. Self discussed the new-look roster with The Athletic, with his comments reported by 247Sports, and expressed confidence in what Kansas has coming back.
“I feel really good about our roster,” Self said.
One of the biggest additions is Tyran Stokes, the No. 1-ranked player in the 2026 recruiting class according to 247Sports. Stokes gives Kansas another highly touted freshman after Darryn Peterson arrived as the No. 1 player in the 2025 class.
Self has been especially excited about what Stokes can bring to the Jayhawks.
“I think he’s gonna be fantastic,” Self said. “We’ve heard all that difficult (reputation). And you look at it, yeah, he’s emotional. Yeah, he plays with emotion.”
Stokes will join another five-star freshman, Taylen Kinney, while Kansas also returns players such as Paul Mbiya and Kohl Rosario. Self believes those two returning players could have much bigger roles this season.
“I also think we got two steals: Paul Mbiya and Kohl Rosario,” Self said. “Nobody’s seen them play like they’re capable of playing.”
Kansas also added experience to its frontcourt. Keanu Dawes transferred in from Utah, while Christian Reeves arrived from Charleston. Both players could have important roles as Kansas looks to replace the production of Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller.
The Jayhawks also have several incoming freshmen who could compete for playing time, including Davion Adkins, Luke Barnett, Trent Perry and Kinney.
Another major part of the roster situation is the return of Tre White. White received a temporary restraining order allowing him to return to Kansas and participate while his situation is addressed. Self said White brings experience and depth to the team.
“You’re talking about a guy who averaged 14 points and seven rebounds last year in a really good league,” Self said. “He brings experience, but he also brings talent, leadership, depth, and competition in practice every day.”
Self also discussed how much more important roster decisions have become under the current college basketball landscape. With limited resources and increased player movement, missing on a roster addition can have a larger impact.
“Your misses are more magnified because you can only pay a certain number of players,” Self said.
With Stokes, Kinney, White, Mbiya, Rosario and several other additions, Kansas will enter the 2026-27 season with a roster that looks significantly different from last year's team. Now, Self and his staff will have to determine how all the pieces fit together once the season begins.
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Jimmy Adeniran is a contributor to JayhawksROUNDTABLE. He can be reached at [email protected]
