The Kansas Jayhawks have been one of the best college basketball programs in the country for the better part of two decades under head coach Bill Self. But on Tuesday, they went into the transfer portal to bring in a player from a far less prominent program who has impressed at the mid-major level.
South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo excelled this past season, helping the team reach the NCAA Tournament out of the Summit League while averaging 18.8 points 5.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on the year. This was enough for him to be named the Summit League Player of the Year.
We’ve seen programs like Tennessee and Creighton excel in the transfer portal in recent years by bringing in mid-major stars like Dalton Knecht and Baylor Scheierman. And now, Kansas is seemingly looking to follow suit in the portal.
Mayo took to social media to announce that he has committed to play for Kansas.
A homecoming like no other. Lawrence, KS, let’s rock. 💙❤️ #committed pic.twitter.com/Y4WkpUOO32
— Zeke Mayo (@zekexmayo) April 2, 2024
As you can likely tell based on Mayo’s post, the commitment to Kansas is a pretty natural fit for him. He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, which is of course where the University of Kansas is located.
This is a pretty significant move for Kansas on a couple of fronts. The team of course disappointed in the postseason, falling to Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in blowout fashion.
Only time will tell whether Mayo’s game will translate well from mid-major basketball like he is used to. But Kansas was desperately missing perimeter scoring all year long. And on paper, Mayo’s ability to score prolifically from behind the arc should fill a ton of holes on this Jayhawks team heading into the 2024-25 season.
