As the NCAA's broad court injunction continues to grant extra eligibility to previously restricted college basketball players, the transfer portal is gushing with experienced student-athletes seeking new opportunities.
For these late-cycle transfers, the main challenge is finding a school that offers immediate playing time or simply an available roster slot. Currently, the Kansas basketball program has two open spots to fill - potentially one if Mihailo Muiki is somehow deemed eligible
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The Jayhawks have already been linked to big men like Jaxon Kohler
to fill out their frontcourt, but Bill Self could use additional help anywhere he can find it. It appears the coaching staff is not limiting its search to just big men, as the team has reportedly reached out to a high-profile guard since he received an injunction.
According to The Portal Report on X, Kansas is among several schools that are showing interest in North Florida transfer Kamrin Oriol. Other universities that have expressed interest include NC State, SMU, UCF, Appalachian State, and Pacific.
The difference in prestige between KU and the other schools on the list is glaringly obvious. This could be an attempt by his agent to prop up his value among mid-major programs, or the Jayhawks might seriously be pursuing him.
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Oriol broke out as a senior for the Ospreys in 2025-26, averaging 20.9 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds on 48.0%/40.2%/88.7% shooting splits. His point per game tally was good for No. 17 in the entire nation - albeit on a squad that finished the season 7-25 and second-to-last in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Prior to his time at UNF, Oriol competed at The Master's University in California, which is part of the Golden State Athletic Conference in NAIA. He served as a bench piece his first year at the Division I level before transforming into one of the country's best scorers.
It is difficult to imagine where Oriol, a 6-foot-3 combo guard, fits into the Jayhawks' roster. There is already a shortage of backcourt minutes to distribute among freshman Taylen Kinney, Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr., and wings Kohl Rosario and Dennis Parker Jr.
However, having too much talent on the bench is never a bad thing, especially given how many transfer additions Self and Co. have swung and missed on in recent years. Very few players nationwide possess Oriol's shot-creating and ball-handling abilities.
KU still needs to monitor a few key storylines before shifting its attention to someone like Oriol, particularly whether Melvin Council Jr. wins his lawsuit
against the NCAA. But what is abundantly clear is that Kansas is planning to exploit the NCAA's new eligibility rules to bolster its roster late in the year.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as Kansas Eyeing Prolific Scoring Guard Kamrin Oriol in Transfer Portal
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