SerpApi.Org
It's been a quiet past couple of months for the Kansas basketball Jayhawks. And that's exactly what you'd probably want as a fan, because it means everybody is staying out of trouble, as well as staying healthy. For Head Coach Bill Self, his own recent health scares seem to be behind him for the time being, a very encouraging sight.
The Jayhawks 2026-27 roster projects to look worlds different than last season's, as countless transfer additions have been made through the NCAA portal, as well as one of Self's best freshman recruiting classes in recent memory, from top to bottom.
KU boasts just two meaningful contributors returning in Kohl Rosario and Paul Mbiya. But recent rumors of a Melvin Council Jr. reunion could make that number three very quickly. And while bringing a guy of Council's attitude, energy, and toughness back looks good on the surface, there are pretty strong arguments for it not being all butterflies and rainbows when looking deeper at what his return could mean.
Rumors of the beloved point guard returning to Lawrence are not what Jayhawk fans should want to hear
It may confuse fans to hear that Council, after two years of JUCO ball, three years of collegiate play, and a recent contract with the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA, still may be eligible to return to Kansas and run it back. The simplest way to explain it is to not and just tell you straight up that, per NCAA rules, there aren't any that state that a guy in Council's situation can't happen. Whether that's seen as ethical or not is up for debate.
Nevertheless, if he is able to jump through the hoops and come back to KU, I can't see many scenarios where the end product looks any more successful than his first year in Lawrence. Let me explain. Council's counting stats at Kansas last season were pretty solid. He averaged 13-5-5 on a 43.4% effective field goal percentage to go along with one steal and just two turnovers a game. Which is incredible, considering how much he handled the ball for the Jayhawks.
And if you're like me and watched nearly every game, you'd understand his impact on and off the floor, as there was a noticeable drop in team play when he'd try to catch his breath on the bench. Which is why Self began playing him basically all game, every game, late in the year. But Council did not come without his drawbacks.
For one, he is an abysmal three-point shooter and typically prefers to still drive to the hoop rather than take a wide-open shot. This continuously shrunk the floor offensively for KU, limiting their offensive ceiling immensely. The other is not really of his doing, but a fault of coach Self.
Like any great coach, they trust their best players in the biggest spots. And they should. But sometimes, a lot of coaches will hold onto the idea they have of what that player still is in their mind, when in reality that's not the same guy who's on the court. We saw this for too long with his continued persistence of DaJuan Harris, and I feel Self would be liable to commit the same mistake if Council is available to play.
Especially with the bevy of guard talent that's been added this offseason. Incoming freshman Tyran Stokes is KU's best player, and he should have the ball in his hands in the big moments. As should Taylen Kinney, another freshman and the projected starting point guard. Other guards like returning sophomore Kohl Rosario, transfer Leroy Blyden Jr., or even a switch forward in Keanu Dawes. These guys are truthfully more talented than Council at this point in their careers with higher ceilings.
It's easy to say that Council playing 15-20 minutes off the bench would be a huge benefit to the lineup, and I'm not saying it wouldn't. But what I am saying is that Kansas has enough talent as it is. Where they've been lacking is in having multiple guys on the team who can be versatile athletes, scorers and defenders. This year's roster looks like it's finally found that. And Council's coming back may seem like a good idea, but in a big moment, when KU needs someone to make a big shot, I'm not sure I trust Self to keep Council on the bench and fully commit to his young guys.
This article was originally published on kckingdom.com as KU basketball would be wise to pass on potential Melvin Council Jr. reunion.
