The 2026-27 Kansas basketball roster is chock-full of depth at all five positions. Head coach Bill Self has expressed a willingness to roll with a 10-man rotation due to his incredibly deep roster, as opposed to his normal tendency of playing seven or eight guys by midseason.
During KU's three-game exhibition slate, Jayhawk fans got a first glimpse at several newcomers on this squad. One who far exceeded expectations was freshman wing Trent Perry from Link Academy .
In the Jayhawks' loss to Duke
over the weekend, Perry made the most of his limited playing time. He finished with a team-best plus-minus of +11 in just 14 minutes played, adding four points, three rebounds, and an assist. His impact went beyond his modest stat line with his hustle and unmatched energy.
When Coach Self spoke to the media earlier this week
, he had nothing but praise for the 6-foot-5, 210-pound standout. While he was considered an emergency bench option for most of the offseason, KU's coach admitted that Perry has earned himself more opportunities moving forward.
"I thought he played great. I think he's going to be hard to not play more minutes just because of his activity," Self said. "He plays so hard and he's athletic enough and keeps balls alive. I've been really happy with him. I thought in a big moment where you can get swallowed up if you're a young guy, he played with reckless abandon the other day."
Kansas Jayhawks guard Trent Perry (23) holds his leg after a play during the exhibition game against Duke Blue Devils inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
After watching Perry receive extended run last week, he feels like a traditional glue guy who does the dirty work. What he lacks in offensive ability and polish, he makes up for with his gritty play style.
As a senior at Link Academy, Perry averaged 6.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals. He has a knack for cleaning up misses on the offensive glass and has serious bounce when attacking the rim. His 3-point and free-throw percentages will likely be rough early on, but the coaching staff hopes he can develop a reliable jumper over time.
Perry got his chance versus Duke because fellow wing Kohl Rosario was sidelined with a concussion. He absolutely made the most of his opening and did not take a single play off, giving maximum effort up and down the floor.
There is still a cloudy path to playing time for Perry even after his big-time performance, though. He'll be competing with bench pieces like Rosario, Dennis Parker Jr., and Luke Barnett for minutes, assuming Self is willing to expand his rotation as previously explained.
Although there is no guarantee Perry will be in the rotation by conference play, his outing against the Blue Devils was enough for Self to give him a longer look. If he continues to bring the same level of energy, Perry could be utilized in short spurts as a spark plug off the second unit.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as One Kansas Basketball Freshman Who Bill Self Admits Will Be 'Hard to Not Play' .
