Kansas forward KJ Adams suffers significant injury in last game of college career
Kansas men’s basketball forward KJ Adams suffered a significant injury in his last game in a Jayhawks uniform.
The injury occurred late in KU’s Thursday evening loss to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Adams exited the game with 3 minutes, 10 seconds left and KU trailing by three, 67-64. KU would go on to lose 79-72 in its first opening-round defeat in the NCAA Tournament since falling to Bradley in 2006.
After the game, Jayhawks coach Bill Self provided an update about the nature of Adams’ injury.
“It’s an Achilles (injury),” Self told reporters in the locker room. “So we’ll hold off on exactly what the technical diagnosis is until we run all the tests. It’s probably … last play of his (college) career, to potentially knock you out another year, that’s pretty sad.”
Adams finished the night with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes. For the season, he averaged 9.2 points and five rebounds per game.
“We’re hopeful for the best tomorrow,” Self said at his postgame news conference. “I’m not sure it’s going to be great news, though. He got the rebound and he came out on it.”
The coach went on to talk about what long-time Jayhawks like Adams and fellow KU veteran Dajuan Harris mean to him.
“He and Juan, more so than anybody, because they’ve been here the longest besides me. That’s 10 years (combined) of spending most of every day with them.
“They’re like sons to me. It’s one thing to lose the game, but to see him (Adams) potentially lose a year on top of the game — that’s a pretty big blow. Say what you want about those kids, but they’re winners and they compete every day. It’s just disappointing to have anybody go out that way.”
Adams won a national championship with KU in 2022 and earned the Big 12 Most Improved Player award in 2023.
