KU Jayhawks hoops team has improved in 2 particular aspects, coach Bill Self says
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas basketball shows increased athleticism, size, and perimeter depth.
- Freshman Darryn Peterson praised for talent; roster offers strong shooting.
- Coach Self considers adding point guard as roster nears summer session end.
Bill Self has learned a lot about his 2025-26 Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team during summer workouts, which started the week of June 2 and conclude on Friday.
“Well, I think that we’re more competitive,” the 23rd-year KU coach said at a Monday news conference inside Allen Fieldhouse. “I think guys like to play. I think they like each other, and we’re certainly more athletic.
“It’s a definite visible difference athletically.”
Self also noted the Jayhawks have “more shooting” than a year ago, adding, “I don’t know if you guys have really studied our roster, but we’re big. We did some testing the other day, and I think Darryn Peterson (freshman guard) with a 6-8 or 6-9 wingspan is the shortest we have.
“So we’re going to be big on the perimeter, which I think allows us to do more things inside and switch more and guard ball-screens differently and things like that.”
Self said recent KU signee Paul Mbiya, a 6-foot-11 freshman from Democratic Republic of Congo, has a wingspan of 7-foot-7 and his standing reach is 9 feet, 6 1/2 inches.
“I mean, that’s a big dude,” Self said.
So which players have shown the ability to hit 3-pointers this summer?
“The first three to come to mind would be Darryn and Kohl (Rosario, freshman guard) and Jayden (Dawson, senior guard),” Self said, “and that’s what they were all recruited to do. I think they’re pretty good from beyond the arc, but you can never have enough good shooters.
“Elmarko (Jackson, sophomore guard), Melvin (Council, senior guard) and Jamari (McDowell, sophomore guard) … those guys can all make shots. Tre (White, senior guard) is a much better shooter (than expected). Samis (Calderon, freshman forward) is a much better shooter than what we anticipated. But still, yet, I don’t know that they’re pure (shooters), by any stretch. So, you know, we can always get better.”
Freshman guard Rosario “is a C.B. (Christian Braun-type player) that shoots it better but is not as big or powerful yet,” the coach continued, “but Kohl is an athlete. He’s good.”
Peterson, the Naismith Trophy boys basketball player of the year, has performed well at practice, Self said.
“He’s ultra talented,” the coach said. “The thing about Darryn is we’ve got to have a team and we haven’t worked on anything yet, but we’ve got to have a team that understands where the talent is and we can play to his talent.
“And he’s also got to learn how to raise a level of other people’s talent around him, but he’s gifted. I mean, there’s no denying that he’s gifted with the ball in his hands.”
Self went on to share some updates on the health of the team heading into the final week of summer drills, which included coaches working with players eight hours per week, including four hours on the court.
Of Jackson, who missed last season with a torn patellar tendon in his knee, Self said: “Athletically he’s where he was before he got hurt. Timing wise, he’s still a ways away. If you can imagine not doing something for a year and going out and then trying to, it’s like there’s a checklist in his mind right now: ‘Well, if I come off this way. These are my reads.’ So it’s too slow, but when he’s able to play instead of think, you’ll see him being as explosive as he was when he first got here.”
Freshman forward Bryson Tiller, who missed last season with an ankle injury, has “done great,” Self said. “His timing is off. He went a year without playing too, athletically. He will get better as he gets his legs underneath him, but he is a skilled guy. He’s a good player.”
Self, by the way, said KU still could add another player to the roster in recruiting.
Nginyu “Gee” Ngala, a 5-11, 180-pound point guard from Montreal, Canada, recently made a visit to KU’s campus, though Self did not mention Ngala by name at Monday’s news conference in accordance with NCAA recruiting rules.
“I would actually be open to adding another and we’re in the process of definitely looking,” Self said. “In my opinion he needs to be a guy that can at least run a team, play point, maybe have some experience, shoot the ball.
“But, you know, if something were to happen and somebody were to go down, just as an insurance policy, as well. So we’re looking and hopefully will get something done with that.”
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 12:41 PM with the headline "KU Jayhawks hoops team has improved in 2 particular aspects, coach Bill Self says."
