Melvin Council Jr. Returning to Kansas Basketball: What it Means for Jayhawks

The 2026-27 Kansas basketball roster is now complete after the team announced the return of point guard Melvin Council Jr. via social media on Sunday morning.

Council, who quickly became a fan favorite last year for the Jayhawks, is back in Lawrence for one final year of college basketball after receiving a preliminary injunction against the NCAA in New York for what will be his sixth year of eligibility after the NCAA recently changed their

According to the Lawrence Journal-World, Council’s lawsuit is based on the premise that the new NCAA eligibility rule should apply to him and that “neither of his two years spent at a junior college should count toward his NCAA eligibility.”

Council tried to troll college basketball fans this weekend with a post on social media indicating that he was choosing between LSU, Kentucky, and Michigan - but the answer was always Kansas all along.

“After being granted a preliminary injunction to play this season, Melvin Council will begin to practice with us immediately, like Tre White did last week,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said following the news. “Melvin was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last season and had a major impact on our program both on and off the court. He brings a lot of experience and leadership to our roster, and we are excited to welcome him back.”

Council averaged 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game last season at Kansas.

What it means for Kansas this season

Council’s return brings much-needed veteran leadership to this team along with the return of Tre White. You can count on both being starters and both having key roles on the team this year.

Perhaps Council’s most redeeming quality is his toughness – something Self loves in his team and especially his guards. Council is the type of player who can go get a bucket when the team needs it and is a tenacious on-ball defender.

Ultimately, Council is a player that Self trusts and that means he’ll be in the game as much as possible.

His return will also likely move the Jayhawks up in several preseason rankings. The move has already catapulted KU to No. 10 on EvanMiya.com.

Council’s return also gives Self an even deeper bench with sophomore Kohl Rosario, freshman Taylen Kinney, and Toledo sophomore transfer Leroy Blyden Jr. all fighting for minutes this season. What the rotation ultimately looks like is now even more unclear, but it gives Self more options nonetheless.

The question that remains is will he be eligible for the entire season. Because this is a preliminary injunction, that means the case is not fully settled, and the NCAA is expected to appeal the decision – as they have others – in an attempt to block his eligibility later this season.

If he is able to play throughout the season, it’ll be a big boost for KU’s title chances in what could potentially be Self’s final year as head coach at Kansas.

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