Bryce Thompson returns from injury, provides spark in KU Jayhawks win over Iowa State
Kansas freshman combo guard Bryce Thompson says he was “crushed” when he learned he’d fractured his right index finger after diving for the basketball late in the Jayhawks’ loss to Oklahoma State on Jan. 12 at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
“It was tough,” said the 6-foot-5, 195-pound McDonald’s All-American from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He suffered the hand injury immediately after sitting out three games because of a cracked vertebrae he sustained at practice.
“I kept God first, stayed grounded. I had a good support system that kept uplifting me. I’m thankful for that because it was a tough time for me,” Thompson added after scoring eight points, grabbing four rebounds, dishing three assists and blocking two shots in KU’s 97-64 victory over Iowa State on Thursday night at Allen Fieldhouse.
Thompson had a triumphant 19-minute return after missing the past seven games following Jan. 14 surgery on his finger.
“They all reached out to me before surgery and after surgery to make sure I was good,” Thompson said of his KU teammates and coaches. “Mitch (Lightfoot) moved my car from the fieldhouse parking lot to McCarthy Hall (players’ dorm), just little things like that. I definitely felt the love from the KU fam(ily),’’ Thompson added.
Thompson came off the bench on Thursday and was part of a seven-man rotation that KU coach Bill Self said he might be favoring, at least for the immediate future.
On Thursday, four of five starters scored in double figures. Ochai Agbaji hit five threes and scored 19 points. Christian Braun drilled three threes en route to 18 points, six assists and five rebounds. Jalen Wilson went for 16 points and 11 rebounds, while foul-plagued David McCormack had 12 points and six boards. Point guard Marcus Garrett had eight points, three assists and three rebounds.
Thompson and Lightfoot combined for 11 points and seven boards; Thompson in his 19 minutes, Lightfoot 18.
“It felt amazing after being away from the game for so long,” said Thompson. He hit 3 of 4 shots the first half and scored six points as KU led 39-27 at halftime.
“To get back out there to compete and win, to hear the crowd, just all the little things you take for granted when you are playing .,. it definitely felt amazing, I think I did pretty well. I messed up a couple defensive assignments that I can look back, watch the film and prepare for Saturday,” Thompson added.
The Jayhawks (14-7, 8-5 in the Big 12) have a quick turnaround. They’ll board two buses (two are needed for proper social distancing, Self said) around noon on Friday and travel to Ames, Iowa, where because of COVID rescheduling they’ll meet Iowa State (2-13, 0-10) at 2 p.m., Saturday, at Hilton Coliseum.
Self said he wasn’t surprised Thompson looked comfortable during his return to game action on Thursday.
“He is a student,” Self said. “He studies. He watches. You know when he came on his official (recruiting) visit and we were practicing, he was walking up the sideline up and down to make sure he heard every word every coach was saying to everybody as we practiced that day. He cares. He wants to learn. He’s been that way since he’s been out (with injury). He was not a thinker tonight, he was more reactive and most guys who have been out that long would be a thinker. I think that has to be important,” Self added.
Self stated that Thompson “plays with a smile on his face, has personality, plays with energy. Obviously he’s not 100% as far as technique and being comfortable. I see him playing an integral role in our success the rest of the season. He made a couple of great passes. He’s probably as good a passer as we have on the ball screen as we’ve seen to date.”
Thompson also had a highlight-reel play when he skied to reject a Tre Jackson shot out of bounds in the first half.
“He drove down the lane. I had help side (defense), so I went up to go to block it,” Thompson said. “I said a little something to him. I thought I was going to get ‘teched’ up,’’’ he added of a technical for reacting. “I’m glad I didn’t.”
Thompson said he was looking forward to Saturday’s rematch against the Cyclones.
“I’ve got to get my body right. I’ve been out a long time,” he said. “Games like that where we are a lot better than a team it helps me be able to stay out there and get my flow.”
As far as Thompson and Lightfoot perhaps playing the roles of sixth and seventh man, coming up, Self stated: “I wouldn’t mind settling in with that seven. I’m not saying that’s what we’re positively going to do and we need everybody to be ready and play well, but I wanted to give that seven the chance to play together the most tonight.”
This story was originally published February 11, 2021 at 8:03 PM.
