KU Roster for 25-26
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Something that I asked about a couple of months ago was Jaden Nickens who committed to play both football and basketball for KU.
What I’ve read about this is that basketball is now it is in the same format as baseball and other equivalent sports where teams have hard roster limits and can utilize scholarships however they want.
If I’ve read and interpreted this correctly, Jaden Nickens can still play basketball for KU next season and he will count against the 15 player limit, but since his scholarship is for football, he won’t count against the scholarship limit this season so KU would still be fulfilling their NCAA punishment obligation in regards to losing scholarships.
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Well how’s about that! Samis Calderon has reported to campus. Didn’t many think that wasn’t gonna happen? Yay.
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Oh, and DP in Lawrence as well
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Maybe they can develop him a bit. Has that athleticism we have lacked recently.
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Seriously… we need someone who can sell NIL deals to businesses in KC and Kansas. We will never keep up with east coast money.
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@BeddieKU23 said in KU Roster for 25-26:
Maybe they can develop him a bit. Has that athleticism we have lacked recently.
Early on maybe you simply tell freak athletes of his size to just try to dunk everything. Consequences and fouls be damned.
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I could go out and sell KU players to KC businesses all day long for NIL… $3 million? No problem.
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@drgnslayr I really think you were made for this job. Go drgn go!
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@approxinfinity I don’t think we have anyone doing this. I could go out everyday speaking to businesses that have an advertising budget and would be happy to have a ball player in ads.
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@drgnslayr it is confusing to me when people say KU doesnt have the money other schools do. Why would that be? How is our budget not competitive? I appreciate you trying to put a finger on it, because it seems like fiction or correctable.
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@approxinfinity said in KU Roster for 25-26:
@drgnslayr it is confusing to me when people say KU doesnt have the money other schools do. Why would that be? How is our budget not competitive? I appreciate you trying to put a finger on it, because it seems like fiction or correctable.
KU does have more money than most schools, including other top schools, but we don’t have unlimited funds. KU’s total NIL spending this season should still be top 10, but the two most expensive players for KU weren’t directly from the portal. Darryn Peterson is somewhere around $3 million, Flory is somewhere between $1.5-2 million. That’s the biggest chunk of KU’s NIL spending. As a team, KU is spending at least $10 million in NIL, probably closer to $15 million.
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@approxinfinity I’m not sure how this all works. I saw where in Total Revenue schools made KU is walking away from the other Big 12 Schools --in Total revenue KU made this past year 215 Million and the next closest school is Baylor that brought in 148 Million
Not sure how they split this but got to veleive things aren’t because a shortage of Money
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I guess why I’m frustrated is because I come from the business world. KU AD comes from education/not-for-profit perspective. It seems like such a no-brainer to me that KU leaves a fortune on the table by not fully utilizing the marketing potential of the athletes. We LOVE our guys! When I see an ad with a player I don’t change the channel. And I think more favorable towards the sponsor. I feel positive every starter on our team would make at least a cool million every year through private endorsements. Perhaps two or three times that amount. I feel certain it would help relieve some of the financial pressure on the AD.
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KU is building a football stadium and it is very expensive
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@drgnslayr said in KU Roster for 25-26:
Seriously… we need someone who can sell NIL deals to businesses in KC and Kansas. We will never keep up with east coast money.
Well this is the crux of the issue. The players want NIL as if it is a salary and not endorsement deals. Nobody wants to spend 50% of their time going from event to event when you’re also expected to do school and practice 3-5 hours a day.
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Need the best green screen studio money can buy installed in mccarthey hall.
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Annual NIL donations need to exceed 10million per season. I’d say whatever business is willing to pledge 1 million plus gets prime court side advertising, 5 million + gets their logo on the shoulder of the jersey.
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Maybe we can entertain ourselves with a “10 corporate sponsors we’d hate the least on our jersey” thread
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@Kcmatt7 this is why the potential House settlement is so interesting
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@drgnslayr said in KU Roster for 25-26:
I guess why I’m frustrated is because I come from the business world. KU AD comes from education/not-for-profit perspective. It seems like such a no-brainer to me that KU leaves a fortune on the table by not fully utilizing the marketing potential of the athletes. We LOVE our guys! When I see an ad with a player I don’t change the channel. And I think more favorable towards the sponsor. I feel positive every starter on our team would make at least a cool million every year through private endorsements. Perhaps two or three times that amount. I feel certain it would help relieve some of the financial pressure on the AD.
You are way over valuing the marketability of college athletes, especially in a market like KC that is a pro-sports town. Darryn Peterson isn’t going to have anywhere near the sway that Witt, Salvy, Mahomes, or Kelce have. If I’m a KC based company looking for an athlete endorsement, I’m looking at someone from the Chiefs or Royals, not KU, KState, or Missouri because if you go the college route for an endorsement in KC, you have to get people from all 3 schools to not alienate 1/3 of the customer base in KC.
So no, KU isn’t leaving a bunch of money on the table, those types of companies just aren’t interested because the return they get from a college athlete the majority of people won’t recognize isn’t there compared to someone who plays pro sports in the city and adds more value than any college athlete would.
I live in a major city with a Big 12 school that also has pro sports. There’s only two places I’ve ever seen a UH athlete used in an add campaign over someone from the Astros, Texans, or Rockets. One is Raising Cane’s because they are a corporate sponsor for UH athletics (and many other college towns because that’s their origin), and a personal injury lawyer group that does the same thing in a couple other cities in Texas (UT athletes in Austin and SMU athletes in Dallas).
If you’re a company in KC that has a $250k budget for an endorsement deal, who are you realistically going to target for a marketing campaign? 3 college athletes (from KU, KSU, and Missouri because you can’t alienate 2/3 of your customer base) who may not be around the next year, or do you after someone on the Chiefs or Royals that’s more likely to still be in KC 2-3 years down the line and can do multiple ad spots for your company?
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@Texas-Hawk-10 good points all around.
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Some interesting comments from Coach Self from the Schnellbacher Classic. Now you know and I know might just be something he thinks that we want to hear but, when asked about the Portal/recruiting and such - - –
Coach Self said El Marko is absolutely 100 % go-- -He said Bryson has been cleared for all Basketball activities , sayin Bryson probably will be full go 100 % by July. Sayin Bryson will be a pro- - He also said Samis Calderon going to surprise people
Hel talked about how they had been sitting on some things and still actively recruiting-- mostly international players and said they fully believe they had time to get that Back up Big and a wing who is a shooter.
He said they feel they have some good fits around Darryn & Flory , and yet also said Flory is going to have to be the one who makes the biggest jump
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Team might be mediocre but we have Darryn so I’m fine with it.
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@TYOHawk think like has been mentioned actually starting five anyway might be a little more solid then we think. Good defensively a lot of length.- -w need to beef up the bench pretty thin
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Also thinks Tiller will be a pro. Interesting there. Not being cleared until July means that ceiling is so far away from truth.
Elmarko being full go is good news. He’s in great shape and excited to see what he can give us returning.
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@TYOHawk Things can change fast! Be optimistic!
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@BShark said in KU Roster for 25-26:
@TYOHawk said in KU Roster for 25-26:
Team might be mediocre
I’ll bet against that
Agree that it will not be mediocre; more than solid. But can our current roster challenge for a B12 title, let alone a NC??? Sure doesn’t seem so. Flory has potential, but is still raw and unproven as a starting 5. Added three solid wings, but only one of which was rated in the top 120 portal transfers, and that was White at 70+. Compare that to SJU, which has Zuby returning (better at this point than Flory), and added 5 top 100 transfers. Compare to UF, Houston, Purdue, Duke, UK, and others. Unless DP is the best player in college ball next year and/or Tiller and Calderon can actually play 20 mpg at a P5 level, it difficult to see how our roster is any more than below the top tier in the B12. Seems like we will be able to defend and apply pressure, but we don’t have much length/size, and no depth in the front court.
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Its possible for us to challenge for a natty but we would need Darryn to be every bit as good as advertised plus we would need Flory to make a major leap and be an All-American caliber player
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@BeddieKU23 Think El Marko is going to be pretty good defensively. – Think once again the question is going to be where is our scoring coming from other then DP- - possibly Flory ?
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@BShark said in KU Roster for 25-26:
@TYOHawk said in KU Roster for 25-26:
Team might be mediocre
I’ll bet against that
I hope so but barring a surprise or Darryn being a top 5 guy in the country this looks like a 21-10 type of team which is solid but isn’t a contender or in that tier. Kind of reminds me of the Oubre/Alexander team.
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I don’t think this team is likely to win a title at all but you could argue they are getting better at every position from last year. Most spots are clear upgrades. Generational upgrades at the 1 and 4.
More than anything I am excited for the stylistic change. The last two seasons, by Bill’s choice it must be said, we have been limited by a core of players that simply did not fit together. The team should be a monster defensively if they buy in.
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@BShark said in KU Roster for 25-26:
@TYOHawk said in KU Roster for 25-26:
Team might be mediocre
I’ll bet against that
No way this team as constructed is anything but mediocre by KU’s standards. The floor should be a big 12 title and in the discussion for a national championship by KUs standards.
This team doesn’t pass the smell test yet. Will they finish in the top 1/4 of the Big12? - sure. Will they contend for a final four berth? - not very likely.
But Bill’s a terrific coach so maybe he can twist this deeply flawed roster into something watchable. DP should be electric. If Flory can improve to where he is worth the money (that would be a huge ask as he was mostly ineffective last year) then KU will be fun to watch, but will need a wing to develop to have any real shot at even the Big12.
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@dylans Houston runs the big 12, they are what we used to be. Not sure why Bill has seemingly given up on trying to develop guys.
That said I think when the roster is done it will be preseason top 10.
Something else I am monitoring is team chemistry. Winning kind of solves everything there sometimes, but last year was a disaster on that front.
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@dylans Lol. You are such a Flory hater. And Im drinking the Koolaid. Watch and be amazed!
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Some people are severely undervaluing the additions of Council and Lawson. They will guard their ass off every night, and compete. Also, DP is a true leader. The team chemistry will be way different than year past. He is not going to let anyone get away with not busting their butt on and off the floor.
They also are not done with the roster. Sounds like they are close to landing a big man who will be a solid backup / change of pace from Flory. If they can find a solid wing they will be a top 10 team.
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@BShark said in KU Roster for 25-26:
I don’t think this team is likely to win a title at all but you could argue they are getting better at every position from last year. Most spots are clear upgrades. Generational upgrades at the 1 and 4.
More than anything I am excited for the stylistic change. The last two seasons, by Bill’s choice it must be said, we have been limited by a core of players that simply did not fit together. The team should be a monster defensively if they buy in.
Who’s the generational upgrade at the 4?
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Lol was just about to reply with the same thing, maybe was a typo as I could see an argument for the 5 over the 4 being a generation upgrade assuming Flory makes a leap? (Or hopefully @BShark has recruiting I don’t know about)
At the 4, we have either White/Tiller playing and I don’t see either being a guaranteed upgrade to KJ. Better offense from Tre playing there but losing quite a bit on the defense and Tiller could be worse on both accounts I don’t believe he stretches the floor. Only other player I could see playing the four is council and even there it seems like it is at best a wash comparing to KJ.
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@BShark 100 % MONSTER-- with their length and their improvement in athleticism could really cause some havoc on the defensive end
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@MR11 said in KU Roster for 25-26:
Lol was just about to reply with the same thing, maybe was a typo as I could see an argument for the 5 over the 4 being a generation upgrade assuming Flory makes a leap? (Or hopefully @BShark has recruiting I don’t know about)
I am sure hoping for a top recruit or NIL transfer!
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@rockchalkjayhawk Not KJ. Presumably Tre White can dribble a basketball, rebound, and is a threat to shoot.
So it was mostly a joke about KJ being terrible.
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@BShark said in KU Roster for 25-26:
@rockchalkjayhawk Not KJ. Presumably Tre White can dribble a basketball, rebound, and is a threat to shoot.
So it was mostly a joke about KJ being terrible.
Now that makes sense!
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We may have to have a board-wide wager as to when the last time somebody will mention KJ or Dajuan.
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@rockchalkjayhawk said in KU Roster for 25-26:
We may have to have a board-wide wager as to when the last time somebody will mention KJ or Dajuan.
KJ is on staff now.
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@rockchalkjayhawk Landen Lucas! Conner Frankamp! Naadir Tharpe! Brady Morningstar! Christian Moody!
Just renewing our leases on old disputes.
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@approxinfinity said in KU Roster for 25-26:
@rockchalkjayhawk Landen Lucas! Conner Frankamp! Naadir Tharpe! Brady Morningstar! Christian Moody!
Just renewing our leases on old disputes.
So far you’re leading the pack in the wager!
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@approxinfinity I’m assuming we all ended up pretty much in agreement on Frankamp, yes?
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https://x.com/KUHoops/status/1930059714617917787
Posting for @approxinfinity and other Flory enjoyers
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Was that /flory ?- - Na that wasn’t Flory - - -was it ?- - Flory left handed ?
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There is some valid points there. But I guess you know a lot more than Freddy’s marketing.
KU basketball is the only winning basketball in the KC area and, once again, we scored the best player in the KC area. Royals and Chiefs are great but no basketball fans in KC? KC is a big fan base for college sports… a major reason why they own the B12 basketball tournament.
Hell… how about selling KU to Lawrence businesses?
