Analyst Casts Doubt on Kansas Basketball Ahead of 2025-26 Season

It is no secret that the Kansas Jayhawks have not met expectations in recent seasons despite beginning each year with championship aspirations.

After winning the national title in 2022, Bill Self's team has failed to advance past the first weekend of March Madness.

On a recent episode of 'Inside College Basketball Now,' CBS Sports analyst Jon Rothstein voiced his concerns about the program's current trajectory.

"We have a changing of the guard in the Big 12 Conference," Rothstein said. "For years, Kansas and Baylor were 1 and 1A in this league… but not anymore."

Rothstein went on to explain that he does not view either program as among the Big 12's elite entering the 2025-26 season.

Rothstein placed Kansas at No. 6 in the conference in his Big 12 preseason power rankings, citing reasons such as roster turnover as his explanation.

"I know Darryn Peterson could be projected to be the top overall pick, right there with AJ Dybantsa, in the 2026 NBA Draft," he wrote. "Just because a player is projected to be highly selected in the next year’s NBA Draft does not mean that the team that he’s playing on is going to reach certain heights."

“Can [Peterson and Bidunga] give Bill Self the ancillary support that he needs for Kansas to be vintage Kansas?” he asked. "Right now, I am somebody who always proceeds with precaution. I take a wait-and-see type of approach."

Despite Kansas bringing in experienced transfers like Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. and retaining Bidunga after he initially entered the transfer portal, he remains skeptical.

He has not been high on KU all offseason, as he ranked the Jayhawks No. 32 overall in his most recent 'Rothstein 45' rankings.

While most outlets view the Jayhawks as a top-20 team, Rothstein is still not bought into the 2025-26 Kansas basketball squad.