Former Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has joined Kansas’ men’s basketball team for the 2026/27 season, the Jayhawks announced today in a press release.
Kaufman-Renn, who played for the Boilermakers from 2022-26 following a redshirt freshman year in 2021/22, averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 28.1 minutes per game over the course of 37 outings as a senior in 2025/26. Having exhausted his college eligibility, Kaufman-Renn became draft-eligible and was selected 59th overall by the Timberwolves, who had acquired the pick from San Antonio.
However, rather than going pro, Kaufman-Renn sought an additional year of college eligibility in the wake of the NCAA introducing an age-based model, filing a court motion in August. As Nick Schultz of On3 writes, the 24-year-old received a temporary restraining order in September and was subsequently granted a preliminary injunction earlier this month.
While the NCAA is expected to appeal that ruling, Kaufman-Renn is eligible for now to play another college season and Kansas formally welcomed him aboard on Monday, announcing that he’ll replace freshman Grant Mordini, who sustained a season-ending patellar tendon injury.
“Trey Kaufman-Renn, who had a tremendous career at Purdue, has enrolled in classes, and is practicing with us as of Sunday,” head coach Bill Self said in a statement. “He reached the national championship game, the Elite 8 and the Sweet 16 at Purdue and has been extremely well-drilled and well-coached. Even though it’s late in the process, because of his basketball IQ, we think his transition will be quicker than most put in the same circumstance.”
After suiting up for the Timberwolves’ Summer League team in July, Kaufman-Renn will now be a domestic draft-and-stash player for the team — Minnesota will retain his NBA rights while he competes for the Jayhawks.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reported last month that Wolves officials were supporting Kaufman-Renn’s efforts to return to college, since the front office wasn’t necessarily counting on him to be part of the club’s plans in the short term.
