Senior guard Tre White dunks the ball in the final seconds of the first round of March Madness against Cal Baptist University at Viejas Arena in San Diego on March 20, 2026.
VAL MONTANEZ / THE KANSAN
Kansas guard Tre White is returning to Kansas for his second season with the program and his fifth at the collegiate level, On3 first reported Friday.
White was granted a temporary restraining order on Wednesday by Judge Kara E. Krothe in Indiana, making him immediately eligible to return to college for a fifth season.
“Tre received a TRO and is eligible to come to campus and practice, and hopefully play in games,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said. “When the opportunity presented itself to go back to college, he wanted to come back to KU, and we welcomed that.”
In his first season with the Jayhawks in 2025-26, White averaged 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 40.3% from three-point range.
Tre White is officially coming back to Kansas for the 2026-2027 season. #KUbball
📸: Jason Glassberg / The Kansan pic.twitter.com/Ta78svfQDT
— Kansan Sports (@KansanSports) September 25, 2026
In terms of Kansas’s roster, White will immediately become a much-needed veteran presence and the likely starter at the shooting guard position. As the Jayhawks saw another offseason that included a roster overhaul, White is set to become the team’s third returner from last season’s roster, joining Kohl Rosario and Paul Mbiya.
Set to turn 24 in January, White spent his summer playing for the Miami Heat in the NBA Summer League where he was one of the team’s most productive players, averaging 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
“He’s had a great offseason and performed well with the Heat,” Self said. “He pursued this on his own, which shows he wants to be here.”
The return of White also fills up Kansas’s 15th and final available scholarship spot, which means that if Melvin Council Jr. is granted eligibility and returns, the Jayhawks will be forced to do some roster maneuvering.
With White’s return, the Jayhawks further solidified their 2026-27 roster and the team’s offensive ability, with the Dallas native coming off a career-year.
The Jayhawks will now await the decision of Melvin Council Jr.’s eligibility hearing in New York, which occurred on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Council and White were two of the biggest catalysts in last season’s run to the Round of 32 at the NCAA Tournament.
“You’re talking about a guy that averaged 14 points and seven rebounds last year in a really good league,” Self said Friday. “He brings experience, but he also brings talent, leadership, depth and competition in practice everyday.”
This article was edited by Sports Editor Eric Lucio. If the information in this article needs to be corrected, please contact ericlucio12@ku.edu.