Kansas Basketball 2025-2026 Lineup Projection: What Will the Starting Five Be?
With Friday’s news of three-star Class of 2025 recruit Corbin Allen committing to Kansas , head coach Bill Self and his staff moved one step closer to putting together a final product for next season.
Blessed to announce my commitment to the University of Kansas! Thank you God for guiding me, and thank you to my family, teammates, and coaches for always believing in me. Ready for this next chapter! #RockChalk #KUHoops #Committed pic.twitter.com/UBgQ4VD7VJ
— Corbin Allen (@Corbinallen_11) May 16, 2025
Allen joins a highly-touted high school duo in combo guard Darryn Peterson (No. 1 overall recruit) and wing Samis Calderon (No. 81 overall recruit). In the amateur recruiting ranks, the Jayhawks still await the decision of priority target Dame Sarr – who seems to be inching closer to a Duke commitment with each passing day.
Nonetheless, Kansas’ incoming freshman class just supplements an experienced trio of transfers in wing Tre White (Illinois), guard Jayden Dawson (Loyola-Chicago), and guard Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure).
While Self and his crew are yet to put the finishing touches on the roster, here’s where things stand.
/ Melvin Council Jr. / Jamari McDowell
/ Elmarko Jackson / Noah Shelby and Corbin Allen
/ Samis Calderon / Jackson
/ White / Calderon
/ Tiller
Peterson, Dawson, White, and Bidunga are cemented in the starting lineup for the time being. Peterson, evident by his No. 1 ranking in his class, is not a typical freshman. The 6-foot-5 guard’s combination of poise, playmaking, and scoring has Peterson in line to take over the reins from Day One.
Meanwhile, Dawson – a deadeye from long range – pairs well in the backcourt alongside Peterson, while White’s slashing can complement both guards from the wing.
As for the frontcourt, Bidunga has the five spot on lock, but the power forward position remains a glaring question mark. Tiller, a former top-50 recruit, reclassified up and spent time in Lawrence for the latter half of the 2024-2025 season.
His experience – even just in practice – earns him the starting role. But expect Kansas to continue bolstering its frontcourt, finding a true backup for Bidunga at the five, and potentially a different, more experienced option to start at the four, giving Tiller time to develop.
