The Kansas basketball program has gotten off to a slow start in the 2026 transfer portal cycle. High-major teams across the country appear to be landing players left and right, but the Jayhawks have just one commitment three weeks into April.
With more than a half-dozen roster spots to fill in the coming weeks, Bill Self has his work cut out for him on the open market. The only players currently set for the 2026-27 roster are the program's four-man freshman class, Utah transfer Keanu Dawes, and returning guard Kohl Rosario.
It certainly feels like the portal is starting to dry up for the Jayhawks, but is this trend affecting the rest of the Big 12 as well? Here's where KU currently stands in the conference's portal rankings, according to 247 Sports.
Big 12 Transfer Portal Rankings (247 Sports)
- Houston (four commits)
- Iowa State (five commits)
- Cincinnati (six commits)
- BYU (three commits)
- West Virginia (three commits)
- Arizona State (four commits)
- Arizona (two commits)
- Baylor (two commits)
- Kansas State (seven commits)
- Oklahoma State (three commits)
- UCF (five commits)
- Texas Tech (two commits)
- Kansas (one commit)
- Utah (four commits)
- Colorado (one commit)
Kansas ranks No. 13 out of 15 teams, with TCU being the only Big 12 school yet to land a transfer. According to those rankings, Dawes is the No. 48 overall player in the portal.
Quality obviously matters more than quantity when building a roster, but it's worth noting that programs like Iowa State and UCF already have five transfer commitments. KU's abundance of available roster spots makes the situation feel more dire compared to teams returning multiple contributors from last season.
The Jayhawks could quickly beef up their roster if Tyran Stokes and a few additional targets commit in the near future. Stokes, the top-ranked prospect in the 2026 class, would likely account for a significant portion of the program's NIL budget.
However, many of the teams that have thrived in the portal era have done so by adding experienced transfers rather than relying heavily on incoming freshmen. The coaching staff has already missed on several key targets, forcing it to pivot to secondary and tertiary options.
There is still time for KU to turn things around, but it needs to happen soon. Missing on more priority targets could make this offseason an ugly one.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as Where Kansas Ranks in Big 12 Transfer Rankings by Mid-April.