Kansas keeps Kinshasa center Paul Mbiya after transfer portal talks

Kansas is keeping one of its most important African frontcourt pieces. Paul Mbiya, a 7-foot center from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is set to remain with the Jayhawks after considering the transfer portal during a busy roster reset in Lawrence.

Mbiya announced the decision himself with a short “Rock Chalk” post, giving Kansas fans a direct signal that he planned to return for his sophomore season.

The decision matters because Mbiya played a limited role as a freshman, but his size, length, and late-season NCAA Tournament minutes made him one of Kansas’ most interesting returning development pieces. With other frontcourt departures reshaping the roster, retaining Mbiya gives Bill Self another high-major big with experience and a clearer pathway to a larger role.

A related 247Sports post shared more detail from Mbiya’s return statement and framed the decision as part of Kansas’ broader transfer-portal roster build.

For African prospects watching the college pathway, Mbiya is a useful case study in how the portal era works: roster fit, playing time, NIL conversations, and long-term development can all influence whether a player stays or moves. His return keeps an NBA Academy Africa-linked, Congo-born center in one of college basketball’s most visible programs.