LAWRENCE — The Kansas basketball fan base received some good news on Wednesday, as St. Bonaventure transfer guard Melvin Council Jr. revealed during a livestream on Instagram that he has committed to play for the Jayhawks.
Council, listed as a 6-foot-4 and 180-pound senior this past season, spent just one season at St. Bonaventure. He spent the previous year at Wagner and also has experience at the junior college level. With St. Bonaventure, he was an Atlantic 10 Conference all-league third-team honoree.
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“We’re very excited to announce Melvin Council Jr. has signed,” head coach Bill Self said in a KU release that followed Council’s announcement. “He’s a 6-4, long, rangy guard that can play with the ball and without the ball. Melvin will remind our fans physically and athletically of Tyshawn Taylor. He’s a superior athlete who can score the ball and has the potential to be one of the more elite defenders that we’ve had in recent memory. He’s been very well drilled and well coached at Monroe (College), Wagner (College) and Saint Bonaventure. We could not be more excited to have him in the fold.”
Council won’t arrive at Kansas as someone who’s expected to be a reliable 3-point shooter, but he has been a productive player who brings experience to the roster. He’ll be someone who can be relied upon to be a pivotal part of the rotation. As the Jayhawks look to deal with the departure of numerous players who could have returned from this past season’s squad, his presence will be valued.
Last season, Kansas finished 21-13 overall and saw its postseason end in the round of 64 of the NCAA tournament with a loss against Arkansas. The Jayhawks also saw their Big 12 Conference tournament run end in the quarterfinals with a loss against Arizona. As coach Bill Self and company look to regain the momentum that followed a national championship run in 2022, Council will look to play a key role.
Melvin Council Jr. has elected to transfer to play for Kansas basketball after playing at St. Bonaventure.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: St. Bonaventure transfer Melvin Council Jr. picks Kansas basketball
