Former Kansas Guard Jamari McDowell Transfers to Favorable ACC Destination

The two longest-tenured players on the Kansas basketball roster were Class of 2023 commits Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell before they entered the transfer portal last week. Now, the latter has chosen his next collegiate destination.

The Houston, Texas native announced yesterday that he will be heading to Wake Forest for his final two years of eligibility. Even if it's not as a Jayhawk, this feels like a great landing spot for someone like McDowell, who simply needed a fresh start.

NEWS: Kansas transfer Jamari McDowell has committed to Wake Forest, he told @LeagueRDY.

The 6-foot-5 guard and former four-star recruit averaged 3.3PPG, 1.6RPG and 1.1APG this season and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Former four-star recruit. https://t.co/AOKZoicut0 pic.twitter.com/fy9XMfFyXM
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) April 16, 2026

Coming out of Manvel High School, McDowell was a 4-star recruit ranked just inside the top 100 nationally. When he committed to KU, there were hopes he could develop into an unexpected backcourt star like Frank Mason III or Devonte' Graham did in the past.

That unfortunately didn't materialize, as he played sparingly as a freshman and redshirted what would have been his sophomore season. In the 2025-26 campaign, McDowell appeared in all 35 games (seven starts) and averaged 3.3 points and 1.6 rebounds as a key bench contributor.

With 5-star prospect Taylen Kinney and potentially a group of transfers leading the backcourt next year, there was no clear path for McDowell to earn more playing time. It makes sense why he would look to transfer to a more favorable situation as his college career winds down.

Playing at Wake Forest is a great chance for him to showcase his all-around ability. The Demon Deacons are coming off a disappointing 18-17 season in the ACC, where they finished 13th in the conference standings.

McDowell now has a chance to prove himself to head coach Steve Forbes and show why he was once a highly regarded recruit. He showed flashes during his time at Kansas as a capable 3-point shooter and point-of-attack defender.

Ultimately, McDowell was a player who was easy to root for, even when he wasn't producing at a high level. He is someone fans will likely continue to root for long-term, even when he's no longer sporting the crimson and blue.

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