Current:Home > ScamsKansas' Kevin McCullar Jr. will miss March Madness due to injury-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Kansas' Kevin McCullar Jr. will miss March Madness due to injury
View Date:2024-12-23 22:40:02
SALT LAKE CITY — The news about Kevin McCullar Jr. missing the NCAA Tournament due to an injury spread wide and fast Tuesday.
McCullar, a graduate senior guard, came back to Kansas for one more season on a team that started out with a chance to win a national championship. Although an injury affected his availability during Big 12 Conference play, it appeared he would be able to be a part of a potential run with the Jayhawks (22-10) during March Madness.
But coach Bill Self revealed Tuesday that McCullar wouldn’t be able to play. McCullar later released his own statement on the matter.
“First, I’d like to address Jayhawk Nation, thank you for the support!” McCullar said in a post on X. “In regard to me not playing in March Madness, if I could play, I would. I am more devastated than anyone, knowing that I can’t play & compete alongside my team and that my college career has now come to an end.
"I have done everything that I possibly could have done to get back playing at a high level to help my team. This included 6-7 hours a day with the training staff at Kansas for over a month now, while not participating in practice but competing in games. While trying various treatment options, it’s simply not where it needs to be to play the game.
IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.
"With a collective agreement between myself, the coaches and the Kansas team doctors, it was decided that I should not play. This is the best time of the year and I wish I was able to help my brothers & KU on the court during this time, but unfortunately I cannot. I will be supporting them in Utah and the rest of this March run!”
Kansas, a No. 4 seed in the Midwest region, still appears to be in line to have senior center Hunter Dickinson back for Thursday's game against No. 13-seed Samford (29-5). While that’s one All-America caliber talent back for the Jayhawks, they’ll be without one more.
McCullar has been a leading scoring option for Kansas this season. He’s also affected the game in many other ways, especially defensively. Yet, as the Jayhawks look to make a run at another national championship, McCullar won’t be able to be on the court with his teammates.
Time will tell if the likes of graduate senior guard Nicolas Timberlake and freshman guard Elmarko Jackson can step up with McCullar out. They’ve shown the potential, at times,to be great assets for Kansas.
But they’ve never been tested like they will be this week.
“The ones in the locker room know all the work you put in behind the scenes to try to play for us for the last couple months,” Dickinson said in part in a post on X. “Love you my brother.”
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
veryGood! (78)
Related
- Judith Jamison, acclaimed Alvin Ailey American dancer and director, dead at 81
- One Extraordinary (Olympic) Photo: Vadim Ghirda captures the sunset framed by the Arc de Triomphe
- What to watch: Workin' on our Night moves
- Unhinged controversy around Olympic boxer Imane Khelif should never happen again.
- Skiing legend Lindsey Vonn ends retirement, plans to return to competition
- Miami Dolphins, Tyreek Hill agree to restructured $90 million deal
- What polling shows about the top VP contenders for Kamala Harris
- 5 people wounded in overnight shooting, Milwaukee police say
- Lululemon, Disney partner for 34-piece collection and campaign: 'A dream collaboration'
- Arizona governor negotiates pause in hauling of uranium ore across Navajo Nation
Ranking
- New York races to revive Manhattan tolls intended to fight traffic before Trump can block them
- Chase Budinger, Miles Evans win lucky loser volleyball match. Next up: Reigning Olympic champs
- Trump and Vance return to Georgia days after a Harris event in the same arena
- Monday through Friday, business casual reigns in US offices. Here's how to make it work.
- Horoscopes Today, November 12, 2024
- Justin Timberlake pleads not guilty to DWI after arrest, license suspended: Reports
- Noah Lyles gets second in a surprising 100m opening heat at Olympics
- Olympic Athletes' Surprising Day Jobs, From Birthday Party Clown to Engineer
Recommendation
-
1 million migrants in the US rely on temporary protections that Trump could target
-
Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov live updates: How to watch, predictions, analysis
-
What to watch: Workin' on our Night moves
-
US Homeland Security halts immigration permits from 4 countries amid concern about sponsorship fraud
-
Tom Brady Admits He Screwed Up as a Dad to Kids With Bridget Moynahan and Gisele Bündchen
-
After Navajo Nation Condemns Uranium Hauling on Its Lands, Arizona Governor Negotiates a Pause
-
Are we in a recession? The Sahm rule explained
-
Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony: Class of 2024, How to watch and stream, date, time