Jaden Nickens announced on Thursday night that he is leaving Kansas and switching to playing exclusively basketball.
His departure brings to an end a tenure at the university in which Nickens arrived as a two-sport athlete but never appeared in a game for either KU’s football or men’s basketball teams.
“After much reflection and prayer, I have decided that I will be putting the football down and parting ways with the University of Kansas,” Nickens wrote in part in a statement on social media. “I am ready to focus solely on my basketball dreams and aspirations. I have been released and am open for contact with coaches so that I can pursue these dreams at another university.”
Nickens played football and basketball at multiple high schools between Oklahoma and California. He had been committed to OU for football as a wide receiver before he backed out and cited his desire to play both sports in college.
KU men’s basketball coach Bill Self and his staff found out about Nickens on a golf outing with 1993 World Series hero Joe Carter, who recommended that they take a look at the 6-foot-3 wideout. Both Self’s and Lance Leipold’s staffs took part in recruiting Nickens, with Self having the understanding that he was “football first and foremost.”
Nickens arrived on campus prior to the 2025 football season, but he missed time early in his tenure due to what Leipold called a “non-football-related incident injury,” and then was listed as out on the Big 12 availability reports for the final six games of the season.
Then, in December, after the conclusion of the football season, Self said that Nickens would “probably not” join the basketball team.
He took part in most of the open portions of KU football’s practices this spring, but apparently decided to pivot back to the hardwood.
KU has three other wide receivers who entered along with Nickens in the 2025 class: Jackson Cook, Bryson Hayes and Tate Nagy. The Jayhawks later added Corbin Glasco, Tyren Parker and Nate Sims as 2026 signees.
