When Gary Parrish of CBS Sports last released a preseason ranking for the upcoming college basketball season, he didn't list the Kansas Jayhawks inside the top 15, nor the top 20, nor the top 25 altogether. He surprisingly excluded Bill Self and KU from his list entirely.
However, the Jayhawks' roster received a significant boost last week when fifth-year forward Tre White announced he'd be returning to Lawrence for one more year. He was one of 97 plaintiffs included in an Indiana lawsuit that granted several Class of 2022 student-athletes eligibility through a preliminary injunction.
On Monday, Parrish officially updated his preseason rankings. Was White's return enough to get KU back into the mix? Let's see where the team landed in his latest edition.
Where Kansas Landed in CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 (Sept. 28)
Not only did the Jayhawks crack the top 25 – technically 26th since he adds a bonus team – but Parrish bumped Kansas all the way up to No. 18 in the country. Perhaps White's return was enough to sway his mind, or he realized leaving Kansas out of the rankings in the first place was an over-the-top reaction.
Parrish wrote a small excerpt in his article about this KU roster. Here's what he had to say about Coach Self's 2026-27 squad:
"This ranking is based on the Jayhawks returning three of the top 11 scorers — specifically Tre White, Kohl Rosario and Paul Mbiya — from a team that finished 24-11 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament," Parrish wrote.
"That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by five-star prospects Tyran Stokes and Taylen Kinney, four-star prospects Davion Adkins, Trent Perry and Luke Barnett, Charleston transfer Christian Reeves, Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr., Utah transfer Keanu Dawes and Radford transfer Dennis Parker Jr," he continued.
Although White provides some much-needed experience and two-way capability on the wing, much of KU's success will lie on freshman Tyran Stokes' shoulders. The projected National Player of the Year candidate is the top-rated recruit in the country and widely regarded as one of the most talented players Self has coached during his time in Lawrence.
As Parrish mentioned, Stokes' supporting cast will play a key role, including but not limited to Utah transfer Keanu Dawes and Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr. If point guard Melvin Council Jr. were able to win his own lawsuit in the state of New York and also be granted eligibility, his return would be the cherry on top of a successful Kansas offseason.
Ultimately, Parrish has finally come to his senses. We understand the skepticism around the Jayhawks after their March Madness struggles in recent years, but anyone could tell you that leaving this roster out of the national conversation was foolish.
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Today's best reads
- Could the Addition of Tre White Force Kansas to Run a Small-Ball Lineup?
- Tre White Returning to Kansas Basketball: What it Means for Jayhawks
- Three Kansas Players Who Could See Less Playing Time With Tre White's Return
- Former Kansas Guard Melvin Council Jr. Granted Injunction: Will He Return to Jayhawks?
- Where Kansas Basketball Landed in ESPN's Latest Edition of 2026-27 Bracketology
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as Kansas Jumps Back Into CBS Sports' Top 25 After Bringing Back Tre White.