Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) shoots a video of himself and the Kansas student section following the Jayhawks’ 69-56 win over Houston on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug

After going unselected in the 2026 NBA Draft, former Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Pelicans, his agency Seros Partners announced in a post on Instagram on Thursday morning.

The 6-foot-4 native of Rochester, New York, played one year with the Jayhawks, aided by the one-time blanket waiver for former junior-college players after he had spent his first two years at Monroe College, one at Wagner and one at St. Bonaventure.

He became an immediate fan favorite and team leader with his own catchphrase — “If you want to be a dog, you got to be a dog, because if you’re not a dog, you’re dog food” — and started all 35 games in his lone season at KU. He averaged 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists along the way.

One of Council’s defining moments came late in nonconference play at N.C. State, when he served as what head coach Bill Self called “probably the best performer that I think that I’ve had on the road in my 23 years at Kansas.” Previously 5-for-27 from beyond the arc on the season, he took advantage of the Wolfpack’s efforts to essentially let him shoot as many 3s as he wanted and went 9-for-15 as part of a 36-point display to help will the Jayhawks to a 77-76 overtime victory.

He was a consistent clutch performer for KU, in games such as a home comeback against TCU and road battle with Colorado, and seemed to take particular pleasure in polishing off the Jayhawks’ rivals Kansas State and Missouri, like when he threw down a late dunk in the final seconds against the Tigers or mocked the “Wabash Cannonball” dance in Manhattan.

Council was never an efficient shooter — he finished the year hitting 39.2% of his shots from the field and 30.8% beyond the arc — and his efficiency declined and turnovers increased late in the season. But he left his mark in a short time on campus.

“As you guys saw with Melvin Council, one of the hardest-playing guys we’ve ever had, and so much energy and so much leadership that he can bring to an NBA team,” associate head coach Jeremy Case said on “Hawk Talk” on Wednesday night.

Council dazzled at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament for college basketball seniors in Virginia in April, where he earned MVP honors after averaging 19.3 points on 45.6% shooting with 5.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

He worked out for a variety of teams. After a session with the Indiana Pacers in early June, he told reporters he would soon be headed to Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Orlando.

Council will take part in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas beginning on July 9. He may well be joined by fellow Pelican and former Jayhawk Hunter Dickinson, who went to New Orleans as an undrafted free agent on a two-way contract last summer.