Kevin McCullar injury: Exploring Kansas guard's availability ahead of BYU clash

Kevin McCullar Jr. has been an important part of the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball program. But the senior guard has missed multiple games since this month, only appearing twice while battling an injury. He did not feature in Kansas’ dominant 86-67 win over the Texas Longhorns on Saturday.

The No. 9 Jayhawks have had a decent season, with the team sitting third in the Big 12. They will be up against the No. 25 BYU Cougars at home on Tuesday night to continue their bid to rise to the top. But will they have the services of their star guard for the game?

Will Kevin McCullar Jr. play against BYU?

Kevin McCullar will not be available for the Kansas Jayhawks to play against the BYU Cougars on Tuesday. Kansas coach Bill Self opened up about the senior guard’s availability for the upcoming clash and the rest of the season. While ruling out the possibility of McCullar playing against the Cougars, Self clarified that the guard is on a week-to-week assessment.

“My concern is: Will he play again this year?” Self said. “It’s not a day-to-day deal. It’s a week-to-week deal. He obviously won’t go on Tuesday (vs. BYU). I’m not going to put him out there,” Self said after the team's win against the Texas Longhorns, via the Kansas City Star.

Self also said that McCullar will have to practice for a good week before being brought back to the court, putting further doubt on his availability even against the No. 11 Baylor this Saturday.

What happened to Kevin McCullar Jr.?

Kevin McCullar has been out due to a lingering bone bruise in his knee that has kept him out of four games. He returned to the court against the Oklahoma Sooners on Feb. 17. The Jayhawks won the game, but McCullar re-injured his knee and thus missed the game against the Longhorns. So it isn't strange that coach Self is reluctant to bring him back before he is 100% fit to play again.

McCullar has suited up for 23 outings this season, averaging 19 points per game. His rebound average stands at 6.4 per matchup while also registering 4.4 assists. With him being ruled out, it looks like coach Self will turn to Nick Timberlake as his replacement going forward, just like he did for the Longhorns contest.

How much will the Jayhawks miss their senior guard in the coming games? Do share your thoughts in the comments.