Kansas HC Bill Self has new role for star guard Kevin McCullar Jr. in 2024 NCAA Tournament 

Kevin McCullar Jr. will finish his Kansas career in a different role than most Jayhawks fans envisioned. KU coach Bill Self revealed how the influential guard will serve the team during the NCAA Tournament on X on Thursday, hours before the Jayhawks open March Madness.

"We will support him through this process," Self tweeted. "Kevin tried for himself, his teammates, and also the KU faithful. We are all disappointed Kevin can’t play but should appreciate the effort that he’s made. Kevin will take on the role of asst. coach during the tournament."

Kevin McCullar Jr., who has been shut down because of a bone bruise, expressed his disappointment at not being able to play on X.

"I have done everything that I possibly could have done to get back playing at a high level to help my team," McCullar tweeted. "This included 6-7 hours a day with the training staff at Kansas for over a month now, while not participating in practice but competing in games. While trying various treatment options, it's simply not where it needs to be to play the game."

While 17th-ranked Kansas (22-10), the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region, faces Samford (29-5), the No. 13 seed, on Thursday night, Kevin McCullar Jr. will wrap up his KU career as an assistant coach as he will declare for the 2024 NBA draft.

Kevin McCullar Jr. has Bill Self coming to his defense

Kansas coach Bill Self came to the defense of Jayhawks guard Kevin McCullar Jr. after revealing on Wednesday that he won't be able to play in March Madness due to a bone bruise.

McCullar's injury caused him to miss six of the Jayhawks' last 12 games. He is Kansas' top scorer averaging 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season.

Self tweeted that McCullar was not simply pulling out of the tournament to protect himself:

"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 to continue playing."

Bill Self tweeted that the decision did not come from the player himself but was made by the medical team after his injury did not show any signs of healing.

"He hasn’t practiced in 6 weeks," Self tweeted. "We made the decision to shut him down. That’s all 100 percent accurate, but what I didn’t say has caused a false narrative to question Kevin inappropriately. He worked tirelessly in rehab to try to play and everyone within the program knows it. We’ve known the only way the bone bruise would heal is time off."