By Michael Swain, 247Sports.com
LAWRENCE, Kan. – It was quite the transfer portal window for the Kansas basketball program. Following KU’s exit in the Round of 32 in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the roster movement began. Over the last two months, a grand total of eight scholarship players departed the KU program through the transfer portal. Now, it appears KU will only return two scholarship players from last year’s team in the form of Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams.
The outgoing transfers paired with KU’s trio of players who are headed to the 2023 NBA Draft mean that KU will have a completely new-look team for Bill Self’s 20th season as head coach. To put KU’s outgoing attrition into perspective, KU will return just 30 percent of its total minutes from scholarship players, 26 percent of its scoring and 25 percent of its total shot attempts.
With the portal window now closed, only graduate transfers can now enter. But, players who are already in the portal have the ability to pick a new school at any point.
Cam Martin was the first player to enter the portal and he committed to Boise State back in March prior to the recruiting dead period that comes with the Final Four week. Zach Clemence entered the portal a few days later and has since committed to UC Sant Barbara. Bobby Pettiford Jr. also entered the same day as Clemence and he is now headed to play at East Carolina.
Additionally, Joseph Yesufu elected to transfer and he is now committed to play at Washington State. A week later, MJ Rice put his name in the portal. He’s headed back home to North Carolina where he’ll attend NC State.
Just last week, Kyle Cuffe Jr. elected to transfer. He has not committed to a new school yet at this point.
And following the commitment of Hunter Dickinson, Zuby Ejiofor and Ernest Udeh Jr. elected to transfer.
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In terms of the incoming players, Towson transfer Nick Timberlake was the first player to commit to KU. Former Texas guard Arterio Morris was next and Dickinson rounds out the current additions via the portal. Overall, KU’s transfer portal haul ranks No. 2 nationally, only trailing West Virginia. KU’s seven-man incoming recruiting class also ranks No. 6 nationally.
At the moment, KU’s high school class consists of four players in Elmarko Jackson, Marcus Adams Jr., Chris Johnson and Jamari McDowell. KU is also a finalist for Mackenzie Mgbako, who is set to announce his commitment on Friday.
Even with all of the roster movement, KU is projected to have one of the top rosters in the country. Torvik ranks KU as the No. 1 team in its 2024 rankings.
