photo by: AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Toledo guard Leroy Blyden Jr. (2) in the second half of a basketball game against Massachusetts in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Cleveland.

Toledo transfer guard Leroy Blyden Jr. has committed to Kansas, his agent Brandon Grier confirmed to the Journal-World on Monday morning.

Blyden visited Lawrence over the weekend, according to multiple reports, after previously making a trip to St. John’s. A 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard from Detroit, he was the MAC freshman of the year and a third-team all-conference selection for the Rockets during the 2025-26 campaign.

Blyden averaged 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists for Toledo, shooting 46.1% from the field and 40.7% from deep on 189 attempts. He started 32 of his 34 games for the Rockets, who went 19-15 overall and 11-7 in the MAC; their season ended on a late 3-pointer in the conference tournament title game.

Along the way, Blyden posted several standout performances, including 36 points on 12-for-23 shooting on Dec. 30 against Western Michigan and a series of four straight late-season games against league foes in which he scored 20 or more points. That included a 20-point, 13-assist double-double in the regular-season finale against Buffalo.

Blyden went to high school at University of Detroit Jesuit, where he averaged 21.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game as a senior and was the runner-up for Michigan’s Mr. Basketball to Michigan signee (and eventual 2026 national champion) Trey McKenney.

At U of D Jesuit, Blyden followed past point guards like his eventual Toledo teammate Sonny Wilson and former Michigan State and NBA standout Cassius Winston. Blyden’s high school coach Pat Donnelly wrote in a submission for Blyden’s Mr. Basketball candidacy posted on the website for the state basketball coaches association that “his skills, leadership, team-first attitude and statistics rival arguably one the best players in U of D Jesuit and Michigan high school history” in Winston and “I cannot think of a bigger compliment.”

He is now KU’s second transfer pickup after former Utah forward Keanu Dawes (who is also represented by Grier and Rob Murphy), and the sophomore figures to join incoming freshman signee Taylen Kinney in the Jayhawks’ backcourt next season.

With Blyden and Dawes committed as transfers, Kohl Rosario confirmed to return and Kinney, Davion Adkins, Luke Barnett and Trent Perry joining as freshmen, KU either has eight spots available if center Paul Mbiya departs or seven if he chooses to stick around. His management told the Journal-World on Thursday that he wants to return to KU but has not reached a new deal; the window to enter the transfer portal concludes on Tuesday.