By JAMES MADDEN
Kansas made a polarizing splash in the transfer portal recruiting world on Monday when it added Purdue transfer big man Trey Kaufman-Renn just months after he was selected in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Just a day after the Indiana native signed with the Jayhawks, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark spoke with media members at Big 12 Media Day in Kansas City, touching on his previous statements that the Big 12 wouldn’t allow former pros and draft picks to play basketball in the conference this season.
“He was automatically put in the draft, he didn’t declare for the draft. That’s the distinction,” Yormark said Tuesday in Kansas City.
Kaufman-Renn played four seasons at Purdue and spent five with the program, not appearing in a game throughout the 2021-22 season due to a redshirt.
Over the course of his four-year career, Kaufman-Renn has appeared in 147 games at the collegiate level and averaged 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during his career.
With Kansas picking up three players through additional eligibility lawsuits this fall, the Jayhawks success is likely to rely heavily on the eligibility of Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White, along with Kaufman-Renn. As of Big 12 Media Day (Oct. 20), all three players are eligible to play for the Jayhawks this season.
The Jayhawks will see their first action against a Division I program on Wednesday, Oct. 21 when they host Louisville in an exhibition game at Allen Fieldhouse.
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