Bill Self provides latest update on Kevin McCullar injury, timeline

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self provided the latest update on star guard Kevin McCullar as he continues to try and return to the lineup while recovering from a bone bruise in his knee.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a positive update, with Self speculating about whether or not McCullar is going to be able to return to play at all this season. Still, there is hope to get him back for a postseason run.

“Well, my concern is will he play again this year?” Bill Self said. “So, you know, it’s not a day-to-day deal, it’s a week-to-week deal. He obviously won’t go on Tuesday and so I’m not going to put him out there because he’s missed so much time.”

Kevin McCullar did recently try and play against Oklahoma. However, that didn’t go as well as planned. Because of that, he was forced to miss the Texas game and is also expected to miss the BYU game on Tuesday night.

In response to that Bill Self also wanted to make sure that Kansas is taking Kevin McCullar’s injury recovery slowly, which is a deliberate move to get him back for the NCAA Tournament.

“Even though you can look at games the number of games missed but that’s not the story. The story is, he played against OU and had what, two days of a little bit of practice and then played, and wasn’t effective and it didn’t feel good at all. So, he’s got to practice for a good week before we put him out there so that he can go and not [get] reinjured worse because the big thing is I’d like to have for the postseason, where he’s in rhythm, and our team has a chance to be the best it can be going into the second week of March,” Self said. 

“But, you know, I’m hoping we get him back but it’s not anything that I’m thinking it’s gonna happen tomorrow or Monday. I don’t think that at all.”

Bill Self believes KJ Adams is among most improved players for second straight season

One player who has been key for Kansas this season is KJ Adams. In fact, he’s someone who Bill Self thinks is the most improved player in the Big 12 for the second straight season.

He was the most improved player in our league last year and he could win it again this year. I mean that’s that’s how good I think he’s done. But he won’t. But that’s how I think he could just because that’s not how the voting works,” Self said.

“He’s made that transition from a four-man to a five-man and now back to a guard. He does everything but shoot the ball from the perimeter, but he still finds a way to utilize that body and athletic ability in positive ways. And you know, he’s he just he just a really good player.”