BY CODY NAGEL – 247 SPORTS
LAWRENCE, Kan. (247Sports.com) – Kansas basketball transfer commit Riley Kugel will not play for the Jayhawks next season, 247Sports confirms. The former Florida point guard is being recruited by high-major programs and opted to re-open his recruitment, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander. Kansas head coach Bill Self said earlier this week that Kugel’s future in Lawrence was “up in the air.” Kugel had not yet signed with the Jayhawks. He made his initial commitment on March 31, just a few days after entering the transfer portal during the recent spring window.
Kugel ranks as the No. 115 overall transfer prospect and No. 27 point guard in the 2024 cycle.
Kansas still owns three transfer portal commitments from Alabama small forward Rylan Griffen, South Dakota State point guard Zeke Mayo and Wisconsin shooting guard AJ Storr. The Jayhawks’ backcourt remains loaded for the upcoming 2024-25 season despite Kugel no longer joining the team.
Kansas sits at 11 scholarship players for the 2024-25 season with Kugel out of the picture. The Jayhawks remain active in the transfer portal looking for another transfer to fill an open scholarship. Kansas can decide whether it wants to vacate a scholarship stemming from the IARP investigation. It must do so either during the 2024-25 or the 2025-26 season.
Kugel entered the 2023-24 season as a potential late first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but could not seem to find his rhythm at Florida.
Kugel averaged 9.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 23.3 minutes of action per game this past season as a sophomore at Florida. He started in 11 of 33 games. The 6-foot-5, 207-pound guard shot 39.4% from the field and 31.2% from 3-point range. Kugel averaged nearly 12 points per game early in the season before moving to a role off the bench. Although his production dipped, his overall shooting efficiency from the floor improved.
Kugel earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2023. He averaged 9.9 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 45.6% from the field and 37.6% from 3-point range. Kugel had even better numbers against SEC competition, averaging 12.6 points per game versus league opponents. He had a 10-game streak of scoring double-figures, which marked the longest by a Florida freshman since Bradley Beal did so in 2011-12. Kugel averaged 17.3 points per game during that stretch, showcasing his potential as a young prospect.
Kugel has two years of eligibility remaining at his next destination.
Kugel rated as a four-star prospect coming out of Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips in the 2022 class. He ranked as the No. 56 overall prospect and No. 4 shooting guard nationally. Kugel signed with Florida over additional known offers from Auburn, Houston, Miami, Mississippi State and a group of mid-major programs.
Travis Branham and Phog’s Michael Swain contributed to this report.
This article originates on 247Sports.
