Kansas
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self addresses Johnny Furphy’s future, and Riley Kugel’s
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self reflects on season, Gonzaga loss
Check out what Kansas basketball coach Bill Self had to say recently after the Jayhawks’ season ended with a NCAA tournament loss against Gonzaga.
LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self provided an offseason update Monday, in an interview with Andy Katz.
The interview, which ran on the NCAA March Madness account on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, addressed a number of topics. Self once again highlighted how good the Jayhawks were this past season when healthy, especially during non-conference play. He once again highlighted how they just didn’t perform well enough in Big 12 Conference play, especially due to a lack of depth and the injury to Kevin McCullar Jr.
But Self also looked to his team’s future. He talked about the roster outlook, both who’s returning and who’s coming in. He talked about what he thinks about his team’s schedule.
How Kansas basketball’s roster looks next season after transfer portal, recruiting
NBA draft combine has invited Kansas basketball’s Johnny Furphy, Kevin McCullar Jr.
Here are some takeaways from what he had to say:
Bill Self outlines Johnny Furphy is likely to remain in NBA draft
Self has three of his starters back in Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams Jr. and Hunter Dickinson. He also has some other players set to return who he expects jumps from, including Elmarko Jackson, Jamari McDowell and Zach Clemence. But Self noted chances are Johnny Furphy is going to remain in the NBA draft.
Furphy was just a freshman this past season, but he enjoyed a campaign that exceeded expectations. It propelled him into the NBA draft discussion. He eventually earned an invite to the NBA combine.
It’s unclear if Riley Kugel will come to Kansas
Kansas has a transfer class that, as of Monday, has signed three players. Those are Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State), Rylan Griffen (Alabama) and AJ Storr (Wisconsin). But it also has Riley Kugel (Florida) committed.
Self noted it’s unclear if Kugel will make it to Kansas. Self didn’t explain why, but if it comes to fruition that would leave a spot open to fill. Kugel would provide the Jayhawks with a talented guard who would compete for minutes.
Here’s how Hunter Dickinson can take the next step
Dickinson was Kansas’ All-American center this past season, but Self does think there’s room for growth. Self highlighted doing more athletically and guarding ball screens better. Self mentioned he thinks Dickinson can be a more consistent 3-point shooter.
Here’s where AJ Storr can improve
Storr was a highly sought-after player in the transfer portal, and is someone Self believes can score and be someone late in the shot clock who can go get a basket. The latter is something Self thinks Kansas missed this past season. But Self also thinks Storr can be more engaged defensively, and added there’s no reason Storr can’t be a great defender and rebounder.
Kansas’ Big 12 schedule will include 20 games
The Big 12 schedule is increasing from 18 games last season to 20 this upcoming season, according to Self, as the league is also set to add Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado to the conference. It’s something Self believes will be challenging. Self acknowledged he could be missing someone, but he mentioned Kansas, Houston, Iowa State and Baylor all have a case to be top-five teams in the preseason.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
Kansas
Kansas City man sentenced for cocaine trafficking, possession of illegal firearm
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of an illegal firearm.
According to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, 22-year-old Antoine R. Gillum was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
His sentencing stems from a June 2024 incident in a metro gas station. KCPD investigators contacted Gillum inside and found that he had discarded a 9 mm pistol in an aisle between the merchandise. He also discarded a pill bottle containing multiple illegal substances: cocaine base, oxycodone/acetaminophen and oxycodone.
Officers searched the vehicle Gillum had arrived in and found approximately 32 grams of cocaine base.
On May 6, 2025, Gillum pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It’s a part of ‘Operation Take Back America,’ a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
No further information has been released.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Kansas
Deadly 4-car crash kills 2 people, injures others in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A crash near a busy highway killed two people and injured two others.
Emergency crews responded to the crash at U.S. 71 Highway and Meyer Boulevard around 12:40 p.m. on Monday, March 2.
When crews arrived they determined four cars were involved in the crash.
Police are investigating how the crash happened.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Kansas
Homegrown Jayhawk stars ready to shine at Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) – As Kansas women’s basketball prepares to enter the postseason at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, they’ll be led by two Overland Park natives who have been two of the most electrifying players to watch in the country this year.
Junior guard S’Mya Nichols and freshman forward Jaliya Davis have played integral roles in the recent growth of the program. Both cite the desire to help grow the Jayhawks into something special as reasons for committing there.
“Where we wanted to take Kansas women’s basketball, I wanted to be a part of that growing evolution,” Nichols told KCTV5.
“We [my family] were also really big Jayhawk fans. We came to a lot of games,” Davis said about her childhood.
The two were both 5-star recruits in high school, and their commitments marked historic recruiting victories for the KU women’s basketball program.
First came Nichols in the Class of 2023, picking KU over Tennessee and Oklahoma.
“I genuinely wanted to go to Kansas,” she said.
Then Davis became the highest-rated player to ever commit to KU as part of the Class of 2025.
“When you go back to S’Mya Nichols being a local, Kansas City, Overland Park product, a nationally respected player, Jaliya was really the next one that was very important for the Jayhawks to keep home,” said head coach Brandon Schneider.
Now as a junior, Nichols has established herself as one of the most consistent scorers and physical guards in the nation.
But it’s the Shawnee Mission West’s alum’s leadership that defines her legacy in Lawrence.
“The team leader, the quarterback,” Coach Schneider described Nichols. “I think oftentimes the player that everybody looks up to off the court.”
“I mean it means everything. Knowing that I’m important to the team, and that they see me as that as well,” said Nichols with a smile.
Both Nichols and Davis were recruited by the Jayhawks for years, going all the way back to seventh grade.
“Well, we offered her in middle school,’ Coach Schneider said with a laugh about Davis.
“Oh he put in a lot of work,” laughed Davis. “I mean, obviously, seventh grade, that’s a long time.”
It was that dedication from Coach Schneider that led her to choose the Jayhawks over Texas, South Carolina, Baylor, and Oklahoma – where he dad played ball.
“I think it really was the relationship we had and grew. He was always there, every single one of my games,” Davis said about Schneider.
After just one practice as teammates, Nichols voiced a big belief about Davis into existence – and it’s probably going to come true.
“I saw her first practice, and I sent her a text, and I’m like ‘I think you can win Freshman of the Year’, and I still stand by that,”
Davis is averaging 21.0 points per game, and has been named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week for eight weeks in a row. That sets a power conference all-time record.
“I think it’s really cool. I mean obviously it’s a team effort, they’re always looking for me,” Davis said about her historic accomplishment.
“Just a phenomenal stretch of basketball for her, and so well deserving,” said Coach Schneider.
Now these two homegrown stars are at the forefront of a late-season push to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Right now, CBS Sports bracketology has them as a ‘First Four Out’ team.
But a few wins in the Big 12 Tournament could certainly help seal their invite to the big dance.
“Obviously we’re not in the position that we were hoping to be in, but I think we can make the most out of it, and get to where we want to be,” Davis said about the opportunity at hand in the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City.
The Overland Park kids are especially fired up about starting the postseason in their own backyard.
“I have a big support system. So I bet my family will take a big chunk of that area during that tournament,” Davis laughed.
“I remember being younger, and the College Basketball Experience is right next door. So I felt like at one moment that was the big stage, when I got to play my little AAU tournaments in there. And then all of a sudden I’m literally in T-Mobile Center on the actual big stage, so it’s pretty cool,” said Nichols.
The Jayhawks are the 11-seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and will face 14-seed UCF in the first round on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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