Kansas Basketball Snubbed in Latest Rothstein 45 Despite New Additions

The Kansas Jayhawks revamped their roster this offseason after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign that saw them bow out of the first round in March Madness.

But in CBS Sports analyst Jon Rothstein's latest edition of the "Rothstein 45," his preseason rankings, KU was disrespected and placed at No. 32 in the country.

That ranking feels especially harsh on the heels of two big recruiting additions, which put the Jayhawks in a better position than they were days ago.

Most national outlets had the Jayhawks slotted in the top 25 before those signings, with ESPN ranking them at No. 21 on June 2 and CBS Sports putting them at No. 17 on May 27.

Since then, Bill Self and Co. secured commitments from Congolese big man Paul Mbiya and reclassified sharpshooter Kohl Rosario.

Given those recruiting moves, it is hard to justify Rothstein ranking KU all the way down at No. 32.

He projects a Jayhawk starting lineup of Elmarko Jackson, Jayden Dawson, Darryn Peterson, Tre White, and Flory Bidunga.

His depth chart did not list Mbiya, so Rothstein must have created it before the big man committed yesterday, although Rosario is included.

Peterson's leadership as a freshman will play a huge role in the Jayhawks’ success, but the talent surrounding him is strong enough to make some noise in the Big 12.

Having a top-tier prospect like Peterson and a shot-blocking center like Bidunga on the floor together alone warrants more respect. That duo, along with KU's new reinforcements, should have the Jayhawks easily in the top 25 at the very minimum.

When the next Rothstein 45 comes out, Kansas needs to see a significant bump up the rankings, or he will need to do some explaining.

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