Kansas Jayhawks’ Wilson likely to remain a redshirt; 700 win milestone nears for Self
Kansas freshman wing Jalen Wilson will likely remain a medical redshirt the rest of the 2019-20 season and have four years of eligibility remaining starting next fall, coach Bill Self said Thursday at his weekly news conference in Allen Fieldhouse.
“The way things are today, I don’t see him playing,” Self said of the 6-foot-8, 215-pound native of Denton, Texas, who was injured in the second game of the season against UNC Greensboro and had surgery on his left ankle three days later on Nov. 11.
Wilson, the No. 47-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2019 according to Rivals.com, returned to full contact drills in mid-January and appeared to be on track to being reinstated to the active roster.
Wilson, however, hurt his back at practice before the KU-Tennessee game on Jan. 25 and just now is close to 100% healthy.
“Not officially, but it is looking less and less like there is potential to return this year. He got those back spasms and missed a week. He is just now back to where he can attempt to go 100% or close to it,” Self said, noting Wilson was ready for “limited reps (at practice).”
Self said he and Wilson agree there’s no reason to announce a final decision on his redshirt status just yet.
“Something could happen in a game with somebody else or whatnot the next week or so,” Self said, ostensibly referring to the possibility of Wilson being needed if a rotation player went down with injury. “We should have a definite decision on it hopefully in the next week or so.”
Wilson averaged 18.1 points a game at Guyer High in Denton, Texas last season.
Self one victory from 700
A victory at TCU in Saturday’s 11 a.m. game at Schollmaier Arena would be the 700th of Self’s coaching career. He’s 699-214 overall in 27 years of coaching (KU, Illinois, Tulsa, Oral Roberts). He’s 492-109 in 17 years at KU.
“I hadn’t thought about that one time,” Self said Thursday of the impending milestone. “I did know it was coming up. Someone said something about it the other day.”
Asked about soon joining the fraternity of active coaches with 700 or more wins (Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim, Bob Huggins, Cliff Ellis, John Calipari and Rick Barnes) Self said jokingly: “The fraternity of coaches I will be joining will all be elderly, which is not great for me, I guess. All old guys can win that many games (when) they’ve been around so long.
“It’d be great,” added the 57-year-old Self. “Hopefully it’s not close to the end. Seven hundred is a pretty big number when you start out at Oral Roberts and lose 18 in row. You go 6-21 and 10-18 the first two years. Somehow the kids flipped it. The players deserve the lion’s share of credit and assistant coaches on that number.”
Self credited his dad for “teaching me the values that would go into probably being a successful coach. I learned more from him than anybody.”
Wiggins traded to Golden State
Former KU wing Andrew Wiggins was traded from the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves to Golden State on Thursday:
“That had been rumored a while. It will not pay dividends for him this year as far as a chance of playing deep in the playoffs,” Self saId. “Get Wiggs out there with Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson) and Draymond (Green) … to me that looks like a pretty good quartet. I’m exited for him. He’s had a really good year. He’s scored the ball (22.4 points per game). I think the Timberwolves have lost 13 in a row. I’m sure it’ll be nice probably for a scene change even though he told me he really likes Minneapolis.”
Self added to media: “Did Marcus (Morris) get traded as well? I flipped on the TV and it said ‘Marcus Garrett to the Clippers.’
“Marcus Morris,” Self added with a smile, quickly correcting himself. “You can see I love Marcus Garrett.”
When told Morris had been traded from the New York Knicks to the Los Angeles Clippers, Self said: “I’m happy for him. He’s having a good year (19.6 points per game).”
Self impressed with Baylor
Self said it will be tough for KU to catch Baylor in the Big 12 race. The Bears are 9-0; the Jayhawks 8-1. KU has a game to play on Feb. 22 vs. Baylor in Waco, Texas.
“On Feb. 6 or whatever today is I don’t think we’ve seen a team in our league since I’ve been here as good as the Baylor Bears. They will not lose much,” Self said. “You don’t want to put yourself in a situation they create more separation. I think they are rock solid. I do.”
Self lauds redshirt Harris
Self provided an update on Dajuan Harris, a 6-1 freshman from Rock Bridge High in Columbia, Missouri, who is redshirting this season at KU.
“He’s a good player. If he was eligible he’d be playing a lot and helping us,” Self said. “I’m not saying starting. We have a pretty good point guard (Devon Dotson). He is a good player, one I can see having a very impactful career here.”
Self on the Chiefs
Self has yet to speak with Chiefs coach Andy Reid in days following Sunday’s win over San Francisco in the Super Bowl.
“I told you after the AFC Championship Game he gave a response to (Self’s) text that was heartfelt: ‘Thanks Bill,’’’ Self said, smiling. “I do not know him well enough to pretend that I do. I’ll reach out to him. Maybe we can get him over here to a game late in the season and let people around this community and KU show their appreciation for everything those guys got done.”
