Reviews of the 2026-27 Kansas basketball team are mixed among the national media. The Jayhawks are bringing top recruit Tyran Stokes and several highly touted transfers on board, but they are losing the likes of Darryn Peterson, Flory Bidunga, and others heading into the new year.
Some outlets have KU ranked as high as top 15 in the nation, while others did not include the team in the top 25 altogether. People are rightfully concerned about head coach Bill Self and whether he can assemble a championship-caliber roster in the new age of college athletics. Kansas hasn’t made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since it won a national title in 2022.
One analyst who has a more positive outlook on the Jayhawks going into the season is ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi. He’s placed them as high as a No. 3 seed in his preseason bracketology rankings and hasn’t dropped them below a No. 4 seed.
Lunardi released his latest edition of tournament projections last week. Where did KU land in these predictions?
Kansas Basketball’s Bracketology Projection (Sept. 15 Edition)
As of Sept. 15, Kansas is down as a No. 4 seed in way-too-early bracketology, set for a Round of 64 matchup with No. 13 seed McNeese State. Late September usually doesn’t feel that “early” for bracket projections, but with all the recent NCAA eligibility chaos, rosters are still enough of a wild card to make these picks a total guessing game.
Lunardi had the Jayhawks slotted as a three-seed last month, though Gonzaga’s addition of Xaivian Lee changed his mind. KU is now back as the highest-ranked four-seed and would hypothetically jump back up one spot if Tre White and/or Melvin Council Jr. were granted permanent eligibility in the coming weeks.
Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts in the second half against the California Baptist Lancers during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This might be Coach Self’s last real shot to prove he can steer the program through the NIL era. The Jayhawks have swung and missed on plenty of transfers lately and haven’t exactly been efficient with how they spend their NIL money.
These predictions won’t mean much when the regular season begins, but it’s encouraging to see that at least one expert thinks highly of Kansas.
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