Kansas holds off John Calipari, big-name challengers for Top 10 transfer in the portal

Head coach Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks are reloading their roster after a disappointing 2023-24 season that saw them enter the year as the No. 1 ranked team in the nation in the AP preseason poll, only to finish with a 23-11 record and lose in the second round of March Madness to Gonzaga.

Despite landing dynamic guards like Zeke Mayo (formerly of South Dakota State) and Florida's Riley Kugel via the transfer portal this offseason, Self hinted at the notion that Kansas would not stop there when it comes to adding new players to the mix and he proved to be a man of his word with their most recent commitment.

After one season at Wisconsin, All-Big Ten Second Team guard AJ Storr has agreed to play for the University of Kansas, per The Athletic's senior NBA insider Shams Charania, beating out other big-name programs like Illinois, Texas, and Arkansas (led by new head coach John Calipari).

Kansas beats out John Calipari's Arkansas and other big-name schools to land AJ Storr via the transfer portal

Landing Storr, the No. 3 rated transfer portal prospect on Jeff Borzello of ESPN's rankings, is a massive move for Self and the Jayhawks program, especially considering the potential departures of freshman Johnny Furphy and senior center Hunter Dickinson as they ponder the possibility of declaring for the NBA Draft.

Storr broke out in a big way in his lone season at Wisconsin after transferring from St. John's (NY), averaging 16.8 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and earning 2024 All-Big Ten Tournament honors for his efforts in conference postseason play. He is likely slated for a vital role within the Kansas rotation and should be the focal point of their offense.

Wisconsin has lost three critical pieces of last year's squad to the transfer portal, including Storr, Chucky Hepburn, and Connor Esseigan.

After suffering an early exit from the NCAA Tournament, Bill Self is loading up his roster to make sure the Jayhawks win a national title for the second time in the past four years.