Kansas Jayhawks freshman Jalen Wilson back on court; no decision yet on redshirt
Kansas freshman wing Jalen Wilson, who had surgery on his left ankle on Nov. 11, has returned to the court for individual drills, coach Bill Self reported on Thursday.
Wilson, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound native of Denton, Texas, broke his ankle in just 27 seconds of action in KU’s victory over UNC Greensboro on Nov. 8 at Allen Fieldhouse.
“He is on the court moving about a snail’s pace, adding a little bit each and every day,” Self said at a news conference Thursday to preview Saturday’s 3 p.m. Big 12 opener against West Virginia in Allen Fieldhouse.
“We are hopeful within a two-week period he could be released and be full-go. We are not at that point where he can have contact at all.”
There’s a chance Wilson still may contribute to the team during the Big 12 season. The choice is to redshirt Wilson or let him join the playing rotation.
“We haven’t decided yet,” Self said. “I talked to Jalen earlier and his parents last night. I don’t think you make a decision on what you want to do with him until you see how his health is.
“If he’s not 100%, why would you even consider it (playing him)? If he is 100%, now how does he fit in, does he have a chance to impact this team? If he’s able to do those things then you make a decision at that particular time. I think it’s too early. Now I am hopeful and I know he is hopeful that he can get to be 100%. Right now even though he is on schedule that still hasn’t happened yet.”
Wilson averaged 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists his senior season at Guyer High in Denton. He originally signed with Michigan but reopened his recruitment following a coaching change and committed to KU in June. He did not score while playing two minutes total in KU’s initial two games.
Self addresses Spurs talk
ESPN’s Seth Greenberg said earlier this week on the “Get Up!” Show that his “boldest prediction for 2020 is Bill Self to San Antonio.” Self addressed the rumors Thursday that he would someday replace Gregg Popovich when Popovich decides to retire. Popovich has not made any type of announcement about how much longer he plans on coaching the Spurs.
“First of all, I have not talked to Seth in five to six months,” Self said. “Secondly and most importantly I haven’t talked to R.C. (Buford, Spurs former general manager, now Spurs CEO) ever about it, and he was in my wedding and I was in his. I know him pretty well and we’ve never once discussed it (job).
“Thirdly, I think it’s kind of an insult to the Spurs because they have the greatest coach maybe our sport has potentially ever known, especially NBA,” Self added. “One of the two or three best all time for sure.
“There’s absolutely zero truth to that,” he continued of rumors he’ll be Spurs coach, maybe next season. “The thing that cracks me up about some media types is the more outlandish things you can say … what it was, was (his) ‘Bold Predictions for 2020 (segment).’ You grab something or throw something against the wall and hope something sticks. There’s zero truth to that. That’s not even one that would impact us positively, negatively. There’s nothing to it at all.”
KU sophomore Ochai Agbaji was asked about the rumors: “A lot of the guys … we don’t say anything about it. We don’t really address it to him,” Agbaji said. “That’s his business. We kind of stay away from that.
“You know being a successful coach like that and having all those accolades he has, it comes with rumors and all that. We just stay out of it.”
De Sousa production needed, Self says
Self said increased production from Silvio De Sousa would be helpful during Big 12 play.
De Sousa has averaged 3.6 points and 2.9 rebounds while logging 9.5 minutes a game in 12 games.
“I think Silvio is the wildcard the rest of the season. We need him to be good,” Self said. “We need him to certainly impact it more than he has. He needs more opportunities than what I have given him. He has the responsibility to do some things better as well.
“I do think there’s Doke (Udoka Azubuike) and David (McCormack) has been our second best big and Silvio our third best big. You don’t look at it as, ‘Well Silvio has played fine or David has played fine.’ You look at it, ‘How is the team when those guys are in there, with spacing, everything else that goes along with playing the best basketball you can?’ That will be the challenge for our two bigs playing together the remainder of the season because we have looked more comfortable playing small than big.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 4:56 PM.
