Kansas rounded out its 2025-26 roster on Wednesday with the addition of former NC State commitment Paul Mbiya less than 24 hours after adding top-100 wing Kohl Rosario. The two summertime additions further enhance a youthful reorientation at KU that will be spearheaded by No. 1 overall prospect Darryn Peterson as the Jayhawks seek to reclaim their place among college basketball’s ruling class.
The moves further cement a de-emphasis on portal talent for 23rd-year coach Bill Self after Kansas failed to escape the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season in 2025.
But will the altered approach be enough to get the Jayhawks back to the top of the Big 12 and back in the national title hunt?
The Big 12 now runs through a Houston program that returns three starting anchors, and Kansas will be seeking to counter that with an overhauled roster featuring just one player — Flory Bidunga — who was part of the rotation in 2024-25.
The young composition to Kansas’ roster — there will be six freshmen — marks a clear pivot from Self’s approach last offseason. A year ago, the Jayhawks were lauded as big winners in the portal but produced underwhelming results with the nation’s No. 3 transfer class.
This year’s crop of Kansas transfers is an understated group ranked 43rd that appears designed to compliment a potential star in Peterson.
In fact, everything appears to be built around the versatile combo guard, including the additions of Mbiya and Rosario. Given that Peterson will be an offensive engine and downhill driver who enters with questionable 3-point shooting bona fides, it was important for Kansas to find pieces that complement his style.
Rosario checks the box as an athletic floor-spacer — think a raw version of Christian Braun — who will turn 19 midway through his freshman season. Mbiya, 20, is undeveloped offensively, but the 6-foot-10 center…
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