Bill Self adds proven scorer as Kansas lands another portal commitment

Dennis Parker Jr. gives Kansas another experienced backcourt option

Parker’s path to Kansas has been anything but traditional. He originally entered college basketball as a four-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class and signed with NC State. After limited opportunities during two seasons with the Wolfpack, Parker transferred to Radford and quickly found a much larger role.

That move paid off immediately. The 6-foot-6 guard started 32 games during the 2025-26 season and emerged as one of the Big South’s top scorers. Parker averaged 18.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range.

His breakout season earned him second-team All-Big South honors and turned him into a sought-after portal target once the season ended. For Kansas, the appeal is obvious. Parker brings size on the perimeter, proven scoring ability and experience playing heavy minutes. Those traits became even more important after the Jayhawks lost multiple rotation players this offseason.

Kansas still has work to do after portal departures

Even with Parker’s commitment, Kansas is still working to stabilize its roster heading into next season. The Jayhawks have already seen several notable players depart through the portal, including Flory Bidunga, Bryson Tiller and Melvin Council. Replacing that much production and depth was never going to happen overnight.

Parker joins a transfer class that already includes Christian Reeves, Leroy Blyden Jr. and Keanu Dawes. On paper, the additions give Kansas more athleticism and versatility, but there are still questions about how quickly the new roster pieces will fit together. That uncertainty is unusual for a Bill Self program, especially one expected to compete near the top of the Big 12 every season.

Still, Kansas may not need Parker to be a star immediately. What the Jayhawks do need is reliable scoring, maturity and lineup flexibility. Based on what he showed at Radford last season, Parker has a chance to help in all three areas right away.

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