Kansas

Jon Rothstein With Bold Proclamation on Kansas’ Current Standing – And The Next Step

Published

11 months ago

May 20, 2025

Jon Rothstein With Bold Proclamation on Kansas’ Current Standing – And The Next Step

The expectations for Kansas next season are all over the board. On3 has the Jayhawks at 13 in its Way-Too-Early Top-25.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello slots Kansas at 21st. Meanwhile, coach Bill Self’s club slides into 32nd in the country in CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein’s top-45.

While the Jayhawks turn over nearly their entire roster, other than returning big man Flory Bidunga, Self and Co. have put together quite a respectable haul this offseason, headlined by the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2025: combo guard Darryn Peterson.

Joining Peterson from the high school ranks are wings Samis Calderon (four-star) and Corbin Allen (three-star). The Jayhawks also put in work in the transfer portal, coming out with a three-player haul consisting of Tre White, Jayden Dawson, and Melvin Council Jr. – all three of whom were top-125 transfer portal recruits according to 247 Sports.

Nonetheless, not everyone is sold on Kansas, including Rothstein, who went as far as to say, at this moment, “Kansas would not be a top five team in the Big 12.”

But Rothstein made it abundantly clear what the Jayhawks need to do to return to their usual, dominant form:

“Kansas is two legitimate players away from being vintage Kansas,” said Rothstein.

And who may those players be?

Well, Rothstein tossed out a few options. He mentioned top transfer target Darrion Williams – who remains in the NBA Draft for the time being – and Rothstein touched on the international prospects the Jayhawks have been linked to.

The Jayhawks certainly have work to do, but with Self and his staff’s track record, one can expect Kansas to put the finishing touches on its Class of 2025 – whether through the portal or overseas – in spectacular fashion.

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Kansas

Pedestrian killed on westbound I-44 at Kansas Expressway

Published

2 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Press Room

Pedestrian killed on westbound I-44 at Kansas Expressway

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – MoDOT reopened the westbound lanes of I-44 in Springfield around 9 a.m. after a deadly pedestrian crash on Thursday.

Police say a pedestrian was hit and killed on I-44 near the Kansas Expressway exit around 5 a.m. Police have not identified the victim.

Emergency officials closed the interstate for about three hours. Crews exited traffic off the Kansas Expressway and the West Bypass.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.

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Bill Self returning to Kansas next season after retirement speculation

Published

14 hours ago

April 1, 2026

Press Room

Bill Self returning to Kansas next season after retirement speculation

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self is returning for a 24th season with the Jayhawks.

The program released a statement from Self on Wednesday confirming his return for another year with the program he has led to 21 regular-season conference championships, four Final Fours and a pair of national championships.

“With renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration, I remain focused and committed to Kansas Basketball competing for a national championship,” Self said. “I look forward to seeing and hearing the best fans in college basketball next season at Allen Fieldhouse.”

Jayhawks head coach Bill Self gestures during the first half of Kansas’ win over California Baptist in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Getty Images

The 63-year-old Self has a record of 840-272, not including the 15 wins that were vacated by the NCAA, putting him 12th on the career list.

He passed Phog Allen as the winningest coach at Kansas with a 77-69 win over Michigan State on November 12, 2024, and finished with a record of 633-167 while leading one of college basketball’s most storied programs.

Kansas’ season ended March 22 against St. John’s and fellow Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks rallied from a 13-point deficit with 7 1/2 minutes left, tying it with 13.1 seconds to go, only for the Red Storm’s Dylan Darling to hit a layup as time expired to end their season.

The Jayhawks have not survived the opening weekend of the tournament since 2022, when Self won his second national title.

“I’ve gone through some stuff off the court, so I’ll get back and get with family and visit and see what’s going on,” Self said following the loss in San Jose, California. “I love what I do. I need to be able to do it where I’m feeling good and healthy to do it fairly well. I’ll get back home and it will all be discussed.”

Self’s health has been a factor to monitor.

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talking to players during a timeout. — Kansas head coach Bill Self talks with players during a timeout against Cincinnati at Allen Fieldhouse. Denny Medley-Imagn Images

He was hospitalized just before the Big 12 Tournament in 2023 after feeling unwell, and had two stents inserted into his heart, which forced him to miss the NCAA tourney. Self had two more stents inserted last year, and this past January, he missed a game at Colorado after doctors advised him not to travel following a precautionary trip to the hospital.

“When you get to be doing it as long as I’ve done it, I looked at it in five-year increments. Now I’m probably looking at it in more two-year increments, so to speak,” he said. “So I try to focus on this season and try to get us to a second weekend — which we failed at — so I’ll go back now and break it down and see where that leads.”

Self won national titles at Kansas in 2008 and 2022. And he’s been especially good at Allen Fieldhouse, historically one of college basketball’s toughest venues. He is 27-6 against top-10 opponents at home, and his 131-81 record against Top 25 opposition is the third-best winning percentage among Division I coaches.

He also has sent 43 players to the NBA, and more could be on the way. Darryn Peterson is expected to be among the first three players to hear his name called in June, while Flory Bidunga and others could also be selected in the upcoming NBA draft.

Self was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

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Minnesota Twins bested by Kansas City Royals 3-1

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Minnesota Twins bested by Kansas City Royals 3-1

March 30, 2026 / 7:05 PM CDT
/ AP

The Minnesota Twins were defeated 3-1 by the Kansas City Royals, who used home runs by Kyle Isbel and Isaac Collins, two hitters not known for their power, on an unseasonably warm day in front of a sellout crowd of 39,320 in Kansas City’s home opener.

The temperature at first pitch on Monday was 85 degrees.

In the first game at Kauffman Stadium since the Royals moved in the fences 8 to 10 feet, all four runs scored on home runs. However, all three home runs also would have been out with the old dimensions.

Kris Bubic (1-0) picked up the win for Kansas City. He allowed one run on two hits in six innings. John Schreiber pitched the ninth for his first save.

Simeon Woods Richardson (0-1) took the loss for the Twins.

Both Woods Richardson and Bubic were effective, though neither was brilliant. Woods Richardson allowed just two runs but on five hits. Bubic walked three. Both starters allowed baserunners in all but one inning.

Bubic was the third straight Royals starter to pitch at least six innings with one or fewer runs allowed after Michael Wacha allowed no runs in 6 innings Saturday and Seth Lugo allowed no runs in 6 1/3 innings on Sunday.

Matt Wallner opened the scoring in the second inning for the Twins with a 424-foot home run that nearly reached the fountains in right-center.

The Royals answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning when Isbel’s homer landed in the Royals bullpen in right field. Isbel managed only four home runs in all of 2025.

Collins then extended the lead to 3-1 with a 400-foot blast into the Twins bullpen in the seventh. It was Collins’ first hit this season, having started the season 0-for-8.