Kansas to Face Off Against Former Recruiting Target at NC State

The Kansas basketball team added multiple transfers from the portal this offseason in a group headlined by Tre White and Melvin Council Jr.

Those additions have worked out well for the Jayhawks so far, but head coach Bill Self was still vying for one more commitment in the month of May to finish off his transfer class. Now, he will be facing that very player tonight when Kansas travels to Lenovo Center to take on the NC State Wolfpack.

Former Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams will be competing against the school that once recruited him heavily.

Kansas Wanted to Add Darrion Williams

The Jayhawks knew they had a strong roster coming in with Darryn Peterson running the show, but Self wanted one more proven offensive standout to help lead the offense.

Williams fit that mold perfectly, as he had already flourished in the Big 12 during his time in Lubbock and was coming off consecutive All-Big 12 selections. The program hosted him on an official visit and thought it had a chance to secure a pledge from him.

During the 2024-25 campaign, Williams averaged 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game at Texas Tech. He is a versatile, all-around wing who contributes in multiple ways and is an elite scorer.

Dec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams (1) looks on during the first half of the game against UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Unfortunately for Kansas, he chose NC State under first-year head coach Will Wade over KU and Ohio State in a somewhat surprising decision. Kansas had been viewed as the favorite for much of his recruitment, but Wade surged late and landed the commitment after Williams withdrew from the NBA Draft.

As encouraging as this current Jayhawk squad has looked so far, it certainly could have benefited from a player like Williams. This season, he is averaging a career-high 15.9 points on 52.3% shooting from the field and 46.7% from three on 4.5 attempts per game, while also adding 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

The Wolfpack have not quite lived up to early expectations, falling out of the AP Top 25 after losses to Seton Hall and Texas on a neutral site. They are currently in a rut, having dropped three of their past five games, but they still possess enough talent to take down Kansas at home.

Many believed that missing out on Williams could come back to haunt the Jayhawks, so they will hope that is not the case tonight when he squares off against them.

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