photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas head coach Bill Self looks at the scoreboard during the second half of an NCAA college basketball gameagainst Colorado, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Lawrence. Kansas won 71-59.

Topeka — Kansas coach Bill Self knows that a lot of recruiting discussions are predicated on the reputations of the players involved.

He also knows that the reputations of the particular transfers KU has added during the 2025 offseason might create “an appearance that we haven’t gotten as highly respected guys, nationally,” as in other years.

But that doesn’t mean he’s in any way down on this year’s roster, which he described as “immensely more athletic” and a well-assembled assortment of pieces around highly touted freshman Darryn Peterson.

“You recruit to fit your needs and nobody knows our needs better than we do,” Self said on Monday at the Otto Schnellbacher Classic.

So far, the Jayhawks have successfully acquired three transfers in guards Jayden Dawson (Loyola-Chicago) and Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure) and wing Tre White (Illinois). They also added a local freshman for depth in Corbin Allen from Oak Park High School.

That group supplements four returners. Elmarko Jackson, Jamari McDowell and Bryson Tiller did not play last year. McDowell redshirted, but Jackson missed the year due to a torn patellar tendon suffered in a summer camp scrimmage — Self said he’s now 100% — and Tiller enrolled early and redshirted while recovering from a long-term ankle injury. Tiller has been cleared to resume basketball activities, and Self expects him to return to action fully around July 1.

Self said of McDowell and Jackson that despite being off the court almost entirely, they were the foremost leaders of the 2024-25 team.

“And when I say leaders, I’m talking about not just on the court, I’m talking about in the dormitory, our culture, the way that we try to live it,” he said, “I think that those two probably have the best leadership qualities of all the returner guys.”

Then there’s Flory Bidunga, who came back to KU after a brief foray into the transfer portal and is the only returner who actually took part in the 2024-25 season, of whom Self said, “The one that probably needs to take the biggest step is Flory.”

Deeper down the roster are the likes of incoming freshman Samis Calderon, an athletic Brazilian forward, and reserve guard Noah Shelby, a walk-on last year.

What else does Self think they might need?

“I still think there’s opportunity to recruit a big to get us more depth, and then a guard if he can really shoot,” he said.

Self confirmed what has long seemed apparent: These prospective acquisitions will likely come via the international route.

“I just feel like with the international kids, it’s been a little bit slower in developing, because I think there’s still some options that they have to decide on,” he said, “and they’re given more time to decide what they want to do more so than what the American kids are.”

For collegiate players, the deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft was last Wednesday. The rest of the pool has until June 15.

No matter who else KU lands, the focal point of just about any conversation this season will be Peterson, who is a consensus top-two or top-three incoming freshman in the nation. Self heaped a fresh set of superlatives on Peterson in Monday’s conversation with reporters.

“It’s not very often you have a chance to coach a generational-type talent, and he is that,” Self said. “I’m excited about it, but what impresses me as much about him as anything is that he wants to be a player, and he’ll be your hardest worker and all the things that go along (with) what a leader should look like.”