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LAWRENCE — The uncertainty around the future of collegiate athletics helped lead to an announcement Monday from Kansas basketball guard Zeke Mayo. He alluded to potential changes in eligibility rules for someone like himself being a reason why.
“Due to the pending NCAA rules, I have been advised to enter my name into the transfer portal,” Mayo posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “I am still focused on pursuing professional options.”
Whatever happens with the NCAA, according to a report from The Kansas City Star, if Mayo can receive another year of eligibility, he would want to return to Kansas. So, depending on how these outcomes play out, the Jayhawks could have a standout player back they otherwise wouldn’t have anticipated. But after three years starring at South Dakota State, and this past season at KU, Mayo would need a rules change.
During his lone season at Kansas, Mayo became a regular starter and finished with 32 starts in 34 appearances while averaging 31.7 minutes per game. He also averaged 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest. There was not a more prolific 3-point shooter on the roster by season’s end, and while that end came in disappointing fashion in the round of 64 of the NCAA tournament, you'd have to think the coaching staff would welcome Mayo back as a potential piece of the 2025-26 roster.
RELATED: AJ Storr announces commitment to Ole Miss Rebels, will transfer from Kansas basketball
There have been a number of departures from this past season’s team, whether that’s through players expected to move on to professional careers or through the transfer portal. But the Jayhawks have been able to add through the transfer portal as well, and retain a promising forward in Flory Bidunga who had explored departing himself after his freshman season.
If coming back to college isn’t something that ends up happening for Mayo, whether that’s at Kansas or somewhere else, then, as he said, the focus would be on a professional career.
“I’m going to pursue that,” Mayo said in the locker room postgame after the loss to Arkansas in Providence, Rhode Island. “It’s a slim chance, but I mean, why not? Definitely going to go through the training process and hopefully work my way up the pedestal a little bit and just kind of draw some attention throughout the summer, work as hard as I can, and, I mean, hopefully achieve my dreams for sure.”
Mayo was not the only Kansas player who was thought to have played out his eligibility with the 2024-25 season, who appeared to look to see what might be possible amid all of the uncertainty. Shakeel Moore, a graduate guard this past season for the Jayhawks, had played five seasons in college — with one affected by the pandemic — across stints with NC State, Mississippi State and KU.
But according to a KU official, while Moore at one point entered the transfer portal, Moore eventually decided to reverse the decision.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Why Kansas basketball's Zeke Mayo revealed he'll enter transfer portal
Continue reading...
“Due to the pending NCAA rules, I have been advised to enter my name into the transfer portal,” Mayo posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “I am still focused on pursuing professional options.”
Whatever happens with the NCAA, according to a report from The Kansas City Star, if Mayo can receive another year of eligibility, he would want to return to Kansas. So, depending on how these outcomes play out, the Jayhawks could have a standout player back they otherwise wouldn’t have anticipated. But after three years starring at South Dakota State, and this past season at KU, Mayo would need a rules change.
During his lone season at Kansas, Mayo became a regular starter and finished with 32 starts in 34 appearances while averaging 31.7 minutes per game. He also averaged 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest. There was not a more prolific 3-point shooter on the roster by season’s end, and while that end came in disappointing fashion in the round of 64 of the NCAA tournament, you'd have to think the coaching staff would welcome Mayo back as a potential piece of the 2025-26 roster.
RELATED: AJ Storr announces commitment to Ole Miss Rebels, will transfer from Kansas basketball
There have been a number of departures from this past season’s team, whether that’s through players expected to move on to professional careers or through the transfer portal. But the Jayhawks have been able to add through the transfer portal as well, and retain a promising forward in Flory Bidunga who had explored departing himself after his freshman season.
If coming back to college isn’t something that ends up happening for Mayo, whether that’s at Kansas or somewhere else, then, as he said, the focus would be on a professional career.
“I’m going to pursue that,” Mayo said in the locker room postgame after the loss to Arkansas in Providence, Rhode Island. “It’s a slim chance, but I mean, why not? Definitely going to go through the training process and hopefully work my way up the pedestal a little bit and just kind of draw some attention throughout the summer, work as hard as I can, and, I mean, hopefully achieve my dreams for sure.”
Mayo was not the only Kansas player who was thought to have played out his eligibility with the 2024-25 season, who appeared to look to see what might be possible amid all of the uncertainty. Shakeel Moore, a graduate guard this past season for the Jayhawks, had played five seasons in college — with one affected by the pandemic — across stints with NC State, Mississippi State and KU.
But according to a KU official, while Moore at one point entered the transfer portal, Moore eventually decided to reverse the decision.
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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Why Kansas basketball's Zeke Mayo revealed he'll enter transfer portal
Continue reading...
