Kansas Basketball ‘Heavily Involved’ With International Big Man Recruit

Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks might pivot to the international route to fill out the team’s remaining scholarships.

Of the three roster spots left, KU is prioritizing a backup big man, and a potential option is French 7-footer Brice Dessert.

According to 247 Sports reporter Michael Swain, Kansas is ‘heavily involved’ in the recruitment of Dessert.

Speculation around Dessert potentially joining KU is gaining traction, with both Swain and Shreyas Laddha of The Kansas City Star recently naming him as a possible target.

After playing with SIG Strasbourg in the LNB Élite this past season, Dessert is reportedly looking to explore the college route.

In 29 games in the 2024-25 season, Dessert averaged 9.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks across 18.3 minutes per contest.

Standing at 7-foot, 245 pounds, Dessert is a physical big man with incredible length. His wingspan measured an eye-popping 7-foot-4 at the Adidas EuroCamp in Treviso.

During the event, he participated in three camp games, averaging 8.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.

While the Frenchman’s age (22) gives him a seasoned edge for a college player, how his eligibility would be determined is still uncertain.

Flory Bidunga is the projected starting center for the Jayhawks, though redshirt freshman Bryson Tiller is the only piece of depth in KU’s frontcourt. Dessert and Bidunga could form into a dominant one-two punch.

If he joins the roster, Dessert could play a valuable role off the bench or even share the floor with Bidunga in bigger lineups.

The Jayhawks have also been linked to other big-man options like Patrick Suemnick, but Dessert is undoubtedly a more intriguing and high-upside target.