LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball is no longer quiet in the transfer portal, after the commitment Friday of Loyola Chicago guard Jayden Dawson.
Dawson, a junior this past season, revealed his commitment to the Jayhawks on social media over Instagram. His commitment helps quell speculation on how KU coach Bill Self and his team are going to move ahead after a pair of disappointing seasons in which it failed to reach the second weekend of the NCAA tournament or win any Big 12 Conference titles, although surely one addition is not going to be where this program stops. He averaged 13.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, while also shooting 36.3% from behind the arc (86-for-237) last season.
Dawson’s commitment is all the more important given the recent exodus that’s occurred within the Kansas program, with numerous players who had roles to earn next season not set to return. The 3-point shooting threats the Jayhawks had from this past season who could be back are exploring their options within the transfer portal. Adding Dawson helps KU move forward, should none of those individuals decide to return to the program.
Self and company are attempting to build back toward the standard that was reiterated during the national championship run in 2022. Adding a player on the perimeter like Dawson, listed at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, should help them with that. Time will tell, ultimately, how Dawson’s commitment benefits Kansas.
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:
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