It’s that time of year again, the college basketball transfer portal is buzzing, and it’s been nonstop action for weeks. Teams across the country are hustling to strengthen their rosters, and programs like Michigan, Louisville, Kentucky, and Indiana are leading the pack, pulling in top talent and building impressive squads for next season. But even for schools that haven’t made huge moves yet, there’s still time to put together a solid class. The offseason frenzy is in full gear — and it’s only going to get wilder until the portal officially closes.
One school that’s feeling the heat this offseason? The Kansas Jayhawks.
Kansas had a surprisingly rough ride last season. They started off looking like championship contenders but eventually dropped so far they ended up with a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament — a huge slide that nobody really saw coming.
Things got so rocky that even long-time head coach Bill Self admitted the team needed a break from each other. After a particularly painful road loss to BYU, Self didn’t hold back.
“I’m talked out. We need to get away from each other,” he said bluntly. “I thought this would be a great opportunity to do some team bonding. But it hasn’t been.”
Yeah, it got that bad.
The mid-season collapse sparked rumors that Self might retire, but so far, nothing’s come of those whispers. He’s still in the driver’s seat — for now.
Meanwhile, the Jayhawks lost a key name to the portal on April 1, when Rylan Griffen decided to transfer. Griffen came in with high expectations and was considered a big pickup, but his season didn’t quite live up to the hype. Some analysts think that might be more about how he was used than his actual performance.
College basketball expert Fran Fraschilla chimed in with his take, saying:
“I’m seeing where Rylan Griffen was ‘misused’ by KUHoops and that he’ll be great next year at – -. Bill Self has ‘misused’ very few players in 22 years. Jayhawks were desperate for outside shooting last year. Seemed like a good kid. Wish him well.”
So what’s next for Griffen? He’s already taking visits — one of them being Kentucky — and could be heading back to the SEC, where he previously played for Alabama. He’s a solid three-point shooter, and there’s still plenty of potential for him to shine under a new system.
As for Kansas? They’ve got work to do — but with the portal still open and Bill Self still on board, don’t count them out just yet.