Projecting Kansas Players Staying and Leaving After 2026 NCAA Tournament Bracket Loss
An adventurous season for Bill Self and Kansas has concluded with the Jayhawks losing to St. John's on a buzzer-beater in the second round of the 2026 men's NCAA tournament.
In nonconference play, KU largely struggled to beat its best competition. After a slow opening to Big 12 action, the Jayhawks—despite an inconsistent lineup—went on a hot streak with victories over BYU, Texas Tech and Arizona.
The losses returned, though, and Kansas' grand aspirations faded.
As the Jayhawks enter what should be a busy offseason, a couple of key departures and hyped arrivals stand out as KU's top storylines.
Who's Staying
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Foundational Forward
As the Jayhawks face the reality of replacing four starters, Bryson Tiller will return to brace a fresh lineup. As a freshman, he logged about 26 minutes per night and averaged 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Tiller struggled late in the season but still has a promising future.
Backcourt Depth
The reality is KU had an underwhelming bench unit this season. In theory, however, a year of experience should be valuable for Elmarko Jackson, Jamari McDowell and Kohl Rosario. They'll be aiming to contribute more consistently in 2026-27.
Who's Leaving
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NBA Draft Prospects
The big-name departure is Darryn Peterson, an expected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA draft. He averaged nearly 20 points per game, although his on-and-off availability stung KU this season. Flory Bidunga was a reliable force down low with 13.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and a Big 12-leading 2.6 blocks per game. Bidunga has eligibility left but would likely be a second-rounder if he leaves.
Senior Guards
Kansas is set to have a new trifecta in the backcourt next season. Peterson will be headed to the NBA, while Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. have used up their eligibility. (Council may pursue an extra year, but a waiver is uncertain.) White was KU's most efficient three-point shooter, and Council paced the team in assists.
Transfers
Beyond that quartet of starters, the Jayhawks will probably need to handle some additional departures. That's the nature of the transfer portal, which sees thousands of players look for a change each offseason.
Who's on the Way
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Top Recruiting Class
When you're losing as much production as Kansas, it sure helps to have an exciting group of incoming freshmen set to arrive. Taylen Kinney is a 5-star guard ranked 18th in the class, and the Jayhawks have a trio of 4-star signees in center Davion Adkins, wing Trent Perry and guard Luke Barnett.
Transfers
Although those newcomers will contribute—some more than others, of course—KU will try to make a splash in the portal, too. Look for Self and his staff to target an imposing frontcourt presence if Bidunga heads to the NBA as expected.
