Bill Self Responds to Claims He Threw Kevin McCullar Under the Bus
By Joe Summers
It's been a strange week for the Jayhawks after Bill Self announced Kevin McCullar Jr. would miss the entire NCAA Tournament with his knee injury.
Self's comments seemed to put the onus on McCullar and not the team doctors, leading to rampant speculation throughout the fanbase that McCullar was letting his teammates down by choosing not to play.
That narrative always felt a bit ridiculous and now Self is clearing the air on social media.
Bill Self Releases Statement on Kevin McCullar Jr.
I am not on social media much but since announcing Kevin would not play in the tournament, I’ve been told Kevin and this situation have been portrayed inaccurately. What I said in a 45 second video clip is true. His knee hasn’t improved in the last two weeks. It hurts too much…
— Bill Self (@CoachBillSelf) March 21, 2024
In a bit of a backtrack from his initial comments to media, Self insisted that McCullar's decision was not his alone and rather a collective agreement from the team's decisionmakers.
McCullar will serve as an assistant coach for the Jayhawks, who enter the NCAA Tournament in a slump and in desperate need of a convincing victory.
A projected first-round NBA Draft pick, McCullar's career at Kansas is now over and he'll start preparing for his professional career. He'll end as one of the better Jayhawks in recent memory, averaging 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game while routinely guarding the opponent's best perimeter player.
It's unfortunate that McCullar won't be able to pay in March Madness, but regardless, it's nice to see Self stop the nonsense circulating in the fanbase.
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