One of the first players Kansas was linked to after the Colorado judge issued a preliminary injunction to Class of 2022 athletes was Michigan State transfer Jaxon Kohler. The stretch big man was considered a strong candidate to fill the Jayhawks' frontcourt needs as they navigate an uncertain situation at center.
Unfortunately, KU was unable to land the highly touted transfer. He committed to another Big 12 school yesterday, pledging to BYU for his final season of eligibility.
But on the same day Kohler became a Cougar, Kansas began showing interest in a new transfer. According to 247 Sports recruiting analyst Dushawn London, the program has reached out to Hamed Olayinka (better known as Larry) along with Ole Miss, USC and UAB.
FIU transfer Larry Olayinka (@olayhamed) is in the transfer portal, per Spencer Pearlman (@SKPearlman)
Olayinka has received interest so far from Ole Miss, UAB, USC, and Kansas.
The 6-9 forward averaged 10 points and 6.7 rebounds this season pic.twitter.com/uAfcqCfbDR
– Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) August 21, 2026
A 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward, Olayinka has played at four schools in four years but was granted an additional season through the injunction. He's a lengthy forward who can impact the game on both ends of the floor.
He became a full-time starter for the first time in his career during the 2025-26 season at FIU, averaging 10.0 points and 6.7 rebounds across 32 starts. Olayinka is especially effective on the offensive glass, averaging 2.9 offensive rebounds per game and recording five double-doubles last year. At Utah Tech and Samford, he primarily played in a reserve role.
Olayinka has also averaged at least 1.2 blocks per game in every season he's played at the Division I level. KU could certainly use that type of rim protection with Flory Bidunga now at Louisville.
His connection to the state of Kansas dates back to the beginning of his collegiate playing days, when he starred at Garden City Community College approximately six hours west of Lawrence. He could join 1993 Final Four standout Darrin Hancock as players to transfer from Garden City to KU.
The Los Angeles native is a career 2-for-16 from beyond the arc, limiting his offensive game primarily to the inside. However, his defensive ability and rebounding would complement the rest of KU's roster nicely.
Although he certainly isn't as big of a name as Kohler, Olayinka would come at a considerably lower NIL cost while still providing an impact in the paint. KU fans should keep an eye on his recruitment to see whether he schedules a visit to Lawrence anytime soon.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as Jaxon Kohler Is Off the Board, but a New Transfer Target Has Emerged for Kansas.