How much time will KU’s KJ Adams miss with separated shoulder? Bill Self gives update
Kansas senior forward KJ Adams, who suffered a separated shoulder in the Jayhawks’ 74-57 men’s basketball loss to Iowa State on Jan. 15, then missed Saturday’s home victory over Kansas State, will not play Wednesday night at TCU.
KU coach Bill Self gave an updated injury status for Adams on his weekly Hawk Talk radio show Monday.
“He is not going to play Wednesday or the next game (Saturday at home vs. Houston). We anticipate him missing a minimum of three to four games … minimum,” Self stated.
KU’s coach offered some details on the nature of the injury.
“If you watched it on television when he ran into the Iowa State kid (early in second half) that was a pretty violent collision, both people going strong (for the ball) at the same time. He just happened to catch a shoulder,” Self said.
“KJ is a relatively strong guy. They (doctors) told us if he had not been as strong as he is, they thought for sure it would have separated more severely than what it did. I am not a medical physician by any stretch (but) it didn’t pop out of place. He tore some ligaments on top basically. It is the exact same, and is called a shoulder separation, but underneath the shoulder it is still intact in good shape, which is good. Range of motion, anything above the head and strength, that kind of stuff, it is still the same as a separated shoulder,” Self continued.
Self said Adams, who has averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds a game in 16 games, “is doing very, very well. The doctors are all pleased. We talked to several of them — NFL, baseball, basketball (team doctors) — what they thought with this particular injury. He is probably ahead of schedule, but we can’t push making the ligament or the tendon or the capsule, whatever, heal faster. It still has to take its natural course.
“We are optimistic he will get back sooner than anybody else with the same injury could get back because he wants to play so bad and is so gifted physically he can probably take a little bit more than most.”
Freshman Flory Bidunga, who scored six points and grabbed nine rebounds in 26 minutes while making his first regular-season start in Saturday’s 84-74 win over K-State, “did some good things,” Self said. “He didn’t score a lot of points. He did make two big free throws late when he tried to be Pistol Pete Maravich and dribble the ball downcourt (and was fouled and sent to line).
“It was a young, inexperienced player going against a very experienced player with passing skills who knows how to get you off balance.”
Self was referring to a matchup against K-State’s Coleman Hawkins who had a near triple double with 15 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in 40 minutes.
“Maybe KJ could have done some things a little better against Hawkins, but Flory did well,” Self said. Hunter Dickinson, who also guarded Hawkins, had 25 points on 12-of-19 shooting and eight rebounds in 34 minutes.
Rylan Griffen was ill last game
Self said there may have been a reason junior guard Rylan Griffen did not take one shot in his 12-minute stint off the bench against K-State.
“We didn’t find out until after the game he was sick,” Self said. “It (illness) caught up to him. He didn’t let anybody know. I anticipate him being a much better form of Rylan next game now that he’s got his situation hopefully taken care off.”
Junior guard AJ Storr had seven points (1-of-3 from 3) in 17 minutes off the bench.
“With KJ out it’d be nice to have some energy,” Self said. “Those two (Griffen, Storr) can score the ball better than KJ with range. It’d be nice to have some energy defensively and rebounding especially on the offensive end. KJ had done a masterful job the last three to four games rebounding on the offensive end.”
Newest Jayhawk doing individual drills
Bryson Tiller, who left the Overtime Elite program to join KU’s team as a redshirt on Jan. 5, has been taking part in individual workouts but not scrimmaging yet, Self said on Hawk Talk.
Tiller, a 6-10, 240-pound forward, will practice but not play in games until the start of the 2025-26 season. He had not played in any games for Overtime Elite this season because of an ankle injury that is still being treated.
“He’s doing individual improvement — one-on-zero,” Self said. “We anticipate he’ll be full-go (for practice) as soon as we can get him checked out again from physicians. That’s scheduled in about a week. He can contribute (at practice), make guys guard him. He will be a nice addition to the scout unit, doing some things others can do against us.”
Self said Atlanta native Tiller “is not really a center, more a 4-man who can play center than a center that can play forward. He shoots well. Has some range from 3 (but) is better from 17-feet in. He has great feet, is skilled, a great passer and can score the ball.”
This story was originally published January 20, 2025 at 8:05 PM.
