KU’s Self gives update on practice: ‘I’m actually very optimistic where we are at.’
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self likes what he’s seen from his players since they reported back to campus on Aug. 3.
“Practice has been good, but it’s also been abbreviated,” Self told The Star on Friday night.
The 2020-21 Jayhawks have been able to work with coaches and trainers up to eight hours a week the past six weeks in accordance with NCAA rules. That includes four hours of on-court instruction and/or scrimmaging.
“We don’t know what we are doing yet,” Self added of running any plays.
Self noted that freshmen Bryce Thompson, Gethro Muscadin, Latrell Jossell and Dajuan Harris (redshirt freshman) as well as junior-college transfer Tyon Grant-Foster, ”have done well so far. I believe we’ve had great efforts, great attitudes. We’ve only had a couple minor injuries,” he continued, noting Grant-Foster and Marcus Garrett have been hobbled by sprained ankles.
“Marcus tweaked his ankle. He’s been out a couple days. He will be back (early) next week,” Self stated. “Tyon is back. He’s not 100%, but he’s close,” he added of the 6-7 junior out of Indian Hills Community College and Schlagle High School.
The Jayhawks in the near future will gather for the program’s annual two-week early-morning conditioning program known as “Boot Camp.”
“We’ll start getting after it soon with Boot Camp. Of course, real practice is around the corner. I’m actually very optimistic where we are at,” Self said.
Boot Camp annually leads right up to the start of preseason workouts, which currently is set for Sept. 26.
“We talked about that today,” Self said of setting dates for 2020 Boot Camp. “We are going to decide when they make the decision on when our season starts.”
The NCAA is expected to announce on Wednesday a delay to the start of the regular season, which currently is set for Nov. 10 and the Champions Classic in Chicago. The NCAA on Wednesday also is expected to announce if practice will begin as planned on Sept. 26 or if the start date will be moved into October.
“There is a proposal to start the season on Saturday, Nov. 21, a source told @Stadium,” national college basketball reporter Jeff Goodman of Stadium wrote Friday on Twitter. “Also on the table is limiting maximum number of games to 24 (plus three in a multi-team event) or 25 (plus two in a multi team event),” Goodman added.
Self is hoping the NCAA will allow teams to play a full schedule.
Self said: “I think it’s realistic to think we won’t have 31 (games). I know we hope in our league we get to play 31 games, knowing it could be less.”
Self, who told The Star on Sept. 1 that the annual Late Night in the Phog would not be held in front of fans in Allen Fieldhouse this year because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, reiterated there will be a season-opening Late Night celebration, likely as a virtual event. Details figure to be released in coming days. Late Night has been held every year at KU since 1985.
This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 9:50 PM with the headline "KU’s Self gives update on practice: ‘I’m actually very optimistic where we are at.’."
