Utah’s Top Forward Lands at Kansas

Bill Self and Kansas have their first win in the transfer portal with Utah forward Keanu Dawes, according to multiple reports on Friday.

Dawes, a 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward out of Houston, Texas, is coming off his second season at Utah after starting his college career at Rice. He drew 12.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last season, and will test his name in the upcoming NBA Draft, according to DraftExpress.

It’s some serious length for Self and the Jayhawks, filling a frontcourt that is now without two starters: Flory Bidunga, committed to Louisville, and Bryson Tiller, committed to Missouri. Freshman forward Paul Mbyia is also set to transfer, per a report by the Lawrence Journal-World last week.

Utah lost its final six games of the regular season, including its first-round 73-66 loss to Cincinnati at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri. Dawes finished the 2025-26 campaign with seven double-doubles and 54.6% from the floor.

In two seasons, Dawes provided the Utes with steady support in the paint. He led the way with 22 points and 12 rebounds against No. 11 Kansas in a 71-59 loss at Allen Fieldhouse earlier in February.