What to know about Dennis Parker Jr., KU basketball’s high-scoring transfer
Kansas basketball has added one of college basketball’s most prolific scorers from the transfer portal. Former Radford guard Dennis Parker Jr., who dropped 53 points in a game last season, announced earlier this month he is heading to Lawrence for his senior year.
Here are key takeaways:
- Parker was the only NCAA Division I men’s basketball player to score 50 or more points in a game during the 2025-26 season, setting school and Big South Conference records with 53 points on 19-of-24 shooting against Coppin State on Dec. 14.
- The 6-foot-6 guard chose Kansas over Louisville and LSU, citing the Team Loaded AAU pipeline that previously sent Frank Mason and David McCormack to Lawrence.
- Parker averaged 18.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for Radford last season, shooting 48.4% from the field and 37.7% from 3-point range after working last summer with shooting coach Dave Hopla.
- He becomes the Jayhawks’ fourth transfer portal addition, joining Utah forward Keanu Dawes, Toledo guard Leroy Blyden and Charleston center Christian Reeves.
- Parker began his career at North Carolina State, where he started 12 games as a freshman on the 2023-24 Wolfpack team that reached the Final Four.
- Coach Bill Self’s pitch was direct, with Parker recalling Self telling him, “If you’re going to come here, we need you to score the ball.”
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline "What to know about Dennis Parker Jr., KU basketball’s high-scoring transfer."
Gary Bedore
The Kansas City Star