Kansas Jayhawks sophomore Tristan Enaruna will transfer, Bill Self confirms
Kansas sophomore guard/forward Tristan Enaruna has decided to put his name in the NCAA transfer portal, joining junior wing Tyon Grant-Foster, coach Bill Self confirmed Tuesday.
Enaruna, 6-foot-8 from Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands, averaged 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in 25 games this past season for KU (21-9).
He did not play in KU’s two NCAA Tournament games after having a positive COVID-19 test on March 14. Overall he averaged 9.4 minutes a game.
Enaruna’s name appeared in the transfer portal on Tuesday morning, but a minute later his name was listed as “withdrawn.” Self in a text message to The Star indicated Enaruna was entering the portal.
“Tristan and I met this morning and he informed us that he will be entering the transfer portal,” Self said in a release from KU later Tuesday. “Obviously, this was a difficult finish for Tristan this year with the COVID situation and not being able to finish the season with the team. He represented himself, his teammates, our program and our university with first-class daily and he will be missed. His best ball is ahead of him and we all support his decision and wish him well.”
Enaruna played for Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, his final season in high school. He averaged 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in 2018-19 as Wasatch went 26-4. He was listed as one of the top international players at the Basketball Without Borders event.
Enaruna chose KU over Creighton and Miami. He was ranked No. 44 in the recruiting Class of 2019 according to Rivals.com.
He issued a statement on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.
“I want to thank everybody that has been a part of my two years of being a Jayhawk. I have had an incredible time from the moment I first stepped onto campus, all the way to today, typing this message,” Enaruna wrote. “I have met a lot of great individuals who have helped to make this place special. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this basketball program. I can’t thank my coaches enough for the time and effort that they have put into coaching me and further teaching me the game of basketball.
“I also have been blessed with amazing teammates in both years, who have been competing with me and pushing me to the fullest, day in and day out. I will never take this for granted. I also want to thank the fans for their amazing support and making hard times a bit easier,” Enaruna continued. “This is truly a very special fanbase. I am glad that I got to experience you all first-hand and will love you forever. With that being said, I have made the difficult decision that it is best for me to move on, and enter the transfer portal. After a long thought process, I figured that this is the right thing to do. I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
On Monday, Grant-Foster entered his name in the transfer portal. The Jayhawks now have one scholarship to award in recruiting following Tuesday’s commitment of Bobby Pettiford of South Granville High in Creedmoor, North Carolina.
The Jayhawks are also pursuing senior point guard TyTy Washington of Compass Prep School in Chandler, Arizona and Kansas City Roos graduate transfer guard Brandon McKissick.
KU has signed Zach Clemence, a 6-10, 205-pound senior forward from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas and K.J. Adams, a 6-7, 220-pound senior power forward from Westlake High in Austin, Texas. KU has received a commitment from junior college power forward Sydney Curry, 6-8, 265 pounds out of Logan Community College in Carterville, Illinois. Clemence is ranked No. 35 and Adams No. 73 nationally by Rivals.com.
This story was originally published March 30, 2021 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Kansas Jayhawks sophomore Tristan Enaruna will transfer, Bill Self confirms."
