With the 2026 NBA Draft five days away, former Kansas Jayhawks guards Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. hope to be two of the 60 players to hear their name called upon to join the most elite basketball league in the world. While both will be remembered favorably among KU fans, both Council and White look to entrench themselves on a new team within a new fanbase.
Both came to KU last season as senior guards who would help propel a young Bill Self team to tournament success. But playing in the best conference in college hoops, the Big 12, is hard, and while the Jayhawks didn't accomplish their ultimate goal, both certainly had their moments playing in a KU uniform that will live on forever.
Whether it was Council's nine threes against NC State and an unrelenting dog mentaility or White's 42 combined points in scoring bursts to upset at the time No. 5 Houston and No. 2 Iowa State, both came through in more ways than one. And the backcourt duo hopes to continue that success into individual greatness at the next level. While another former Jayhawk in Darryn Peterson remains in the running to become the No. 1 overall pick, both Council and White are fighting hard to reach new heights.
The Jayhawks' backcourt duo is not letting their NBA chances slip so close to the end
While Peterson has yet to take any team visits or workouts aside from the Washington Wizards, who hold the first pick, Council and White do not share that same luxury. Both have had to grind through an incredibly hard pre-draft process to separate themselves from the competition. One thing about the NBA is that it puts an emphatic value on developing youth, which may spell trouble.
Council is 24 years old, and White is 23, far off from the typical one-and-done college prospects or young international players who typically range from 18-21 years of age. It gives teams a longer runway to get these guys into their system and develop their skills before they become "finished projects." While White and Council have much to improve in their games, at their age, both are considered less valuable because it's not easy to teach an old dog new tricks.
Each Council and White has worked out with nearly half the league in an effort to boost their stock. If I were a betting man, the chances of either of them being drafted are pretty low. But we've seen a number of absolute ballers come into the league undrafted and absolutely make a career for themselves. While rare, it requires an incredible amount of focus and hard work, two qualities White and Council possessed more than anyone else at KU last season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google