Why Kansas HC Bill Self Thinks Tre White Is Further Along Than Melvin Council Jr.

The current state of college basketball is difficult to describe and unlike anything fans have ever seen before. There certainly haven’t been many instances of schools unexpectedly adding multiple starters from the previous campaign less than a month before the regular season begins, but that’s exactly what Kansas did this offseason.

The returns of Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. have put the Jayhawks in an excellent spot to compete in the Big 12 this year. However, given the unusual circumstances surrounding their eligibility, neither received a start in his first game back wearing a Jayhawk uniform.

White and Council both came off the bench this past Friday in the preseason opener against Pittsburg State, but one of them clearly looked further along than the other. White appeared much more polished and mature than he did last season, finishing with a game-high 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting and adding eight rebounds in just 18 minutes.

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Meanwhile, Council saw a little more action with 22 minutes but had four points, three assists, and shot an ugly 2-for-7 from the floor. Council’s impact is never really indicated in the box score because of what he provides as a playmaker and defender, but head coach Bill Self also acknowledged that Council didn’t look particularly good in the opener. The Hall of Famer believes there’s a reason why White is further ahead in his progress.

“He shot it great, and I don’t know how he looked to you guys, but he looks like he’s a couple years older out there,” Self said. “I think he looked great. Now, Melvin didn’t, but Melvin hasn’t been playing. Melvin’s been in the gym shooting on his own and that stuff. So, that’s why I wanted to play him more, just so he could get a feel for playing, because he hasn’t had the opportunity to be with the Heat or whatever and getting all those reps.”

Kansas Jayhawks guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) guards the ball against Pittsburg State Gorillas during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Oct. 16,…

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Publish date : 2026-10-20 11:00:00

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