Earlier this week, former Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. sued the NCAA in an attempt to gain another year of collegiate eligibility. The undrafted guard argues that his two years at the junior college level should not count against his NCAA eligibility, a similar case that several student-athletes have made over the past year.
Although Council is far from a perfect player, he’d be an unexpected and incredibly impactful addition to the team this late in the offseason. It can be assumed that after starting all 35 of KU’s games in the 2025-26 campaign and playing 40 minutes on some nights, Council would be penciled in as the Jayhawks’ starting point guard if his request is granted.
That would create a major ripple effect throughout the roster and alter the roles of several different Jayhawks. At least one projected starter would likely be pushed out of the lineup, and head coach Bill Self may have to shuffle things around to compensate for Council’s lack of perimeter shooting.
Prior to this news, most fans projected a backcourt of Leroy Blyden Jr., Talon Kinney, and Tyran Stokes. If there is one player whose role Council’s return would affect the most, it would undoubtedly be Kinney.
It isn’t uncommon for Coach Self to utilize two primary ball handlers, and he already has a point forward in Stokes who is more than capable of facilitating the offense. With Council potentially in the picture, he provides many of the same qualities Kinney was expected to bring, only with far more proven experience.
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If the final starting spot comes down to Blyden Jr. and Kinney, it feels like Blyden would have a fairly significant edge. As a freshman at Toledo, he was one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in the MAC, knocking down 40.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc on 5.6 tries per game. Kinney regressed significantly as a shooter during his final season at Overtime Elite (40.6%/26.9%/84.7% slash line) and still has some polishing to do before he’s fully ready for the college game, despite entering as a 5-star prospect.
Feb 28, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) dribbles the ball during the first half of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Council absolutely deserves a spot in the starting five and brings exceptional defensive tenacity, coast-to-coast finishing ability, and playmaking. Still, the coaching staff would have to make up for his inefficient scoring elsewhere in the lineup, as there were stretches last season when he went on horrific cold spells.
Whatever route Coach Self decides to take, he will have plenty of time to experiment with different lineup combinations throughout the regular season. There are very few players who have earned Coach Self’s trust as quickly as Council did this past year, so if there’s even the slightest chance he can return to the Jayhawks for one last ride, you know Self would gladly welcome him back.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as How Would Melvin Council’s Return Shake Up Kansas’ Starting Lineup?.
