Why KU coach Bill Self posted a clarifying statement about Kevin McCullar’s injury
Kansas guard Kevin McCullar, who is out for the NCAA Tournament with a lingering bone bruise in his left knee, is playing a new role for the Jayhawks.
He’s an (unofficial) assistant coach, according to coach Bill Self. His first assignment was KU’s first-round matchup against No. 13 seed Samford on Thursday at the Delta Center.
And what an assignment it was — the Jayhawks nearly squandered a 22-point lead but ultimately won 93-89 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
For McCullar, it continues to be a different feeling watching the game from the sidelines instead of being involved.
“I definitely want to be out there, I’m a competitor,” McCullar told The Star. “That game was fun to watch, too. It was kind of like an AAU game; they were just getting up and down.”
McCullar continued: “I was over there stressing. When I’m in the game, I feel like way more calm. But when I’m watching, it’s hard.”
For McCullar, the transition from star player to assistant coach hasn’t been easy. He describes it as “terrible” not to be able to play for an opportunity that he and his teammates have worked all year for in March Madness.
Still, he’s embraced the role of assistant coach. He was constantly talking to KU’s younger players during timeouts.
“I’m trying to give the younger guys a little advice here and there of what I’ve been through in my five years of college,” he said. “(I’m) trying to help them and be a good teammate.”
As for when McCullar will go back to being a player ... don’t expect it anytime soon.
McCullar, who is currently projected as a first rounder in several NBA mock drafts, told The Star his recovery timeline from the bone bruise “is a while.” He’s currently looking at different treatment options to get back to full health.
McCullar has tried to play through the injury at a few different points this season. It resulted in him re-tweaking that injury twice.
“The more I played on it, the more it set me back a little more,” he said. “So, talking to the doctors and staff, I feel like I have a good game plan of different options that I could go with to finally get healed.”
For McCullar and the Jayhawks, it’s been an eventful and emotional few days.
Self addressed McCullar’s injury upon arriving in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. After fans reacted, many criticizing McCullar for missing the postseason, Self took to the social media site X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday morning to issue a statement clarifying his initial comments.
After KU’s win on Thursday night, Self defended McCullar yet again.
“I had players come to me and tell me that he was getting roasted on social media,” Self said. “I said, ‘Why was he getting roasted?’ So, I looked at my interview and the thing I was told was ... ‘People are looking at your body language.’ … It was a 45-second snippet in a five-and-half-minute deal.
“Am I frustrated that we don’t have our full complement of guys? Hell yes I am. But he hasn’t done anything wrong. ... He’s tried his (butt) off. For anybody to think anything other than that is just irresponsible thinking, to be honest with you.”
Self added: “I thought it was the right thing to do because anything other than him trying his butt off to be out there is totally wrong, and that should be evident by what he’s gone through up until this point. Unfortunately, the knee just didn’t cooperate the last couple of weeks.”
