Kansas to be without McCullar for NCAA tourney

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Kansas star Kevin McCullar Jr. will not play in the NCAA tournament, coach Expense Self said Tuesday.

McCullar missed six of the last 12 games of the season, including last week’s Huge 12 competition, while managing a bone contusion on his knee.

“Kevin’s not gonna play,” Self told press reporters. “Kevin says his knee pain has not decreased any and it’s regrettable for him to be able to contribute. So Kevin will not play. We’re shutting him down for the tournament.

“He hasn’t practiced in 6 weeks, basically. He hasn’t done more damage to his knee. But he tried to do [to play] and stated that he just couldn’t go.”

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McCullar, in a post on X later on Tuesday, said that he was “more ravaged than anybody” that he would not be able to play.

“I have actually done everything that I possibly might have done to get back playing at a high level to help my team,” McCullar stated in his post. “This included 6-7 hours a day with the training personnel at Kansas for over a month now, while not taking part in practice but competing in games. While trying numerous treatment choices, it’s merely not where it requires to be to play the game.”

A 6-foot-7 senior citizen who played the very first three seasons of his career at Texas Tech before spending his previous two at Kansas, McCullar was among the greatest breakout stars in the country. He averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 helps en path to making first-team All-Big 12 honors.

Before the conference tournament, Self said both McCullar and teammate Hunter Dickinson– who suffered a dislocated shoulder in the regular-season ending– should be offered for practice today in preparation for the NCAA tournament.

While McCullar is out, Dickinson is all set to play.

“Hunt looks terrific,” Self stated. “He’s practiced generally every day because Saturday. Noncontact. The last 2 days has actually been complete contact.”

Dickinson, a Michigan transfer, averaged 18.0 points and 10.8 rebounds this season. He also made first-team All-Big 12 distinctions.

Kansas, which made a 4-seed in the NCAA competition, deals with 13-seed Samford on Thursday.