Kansas Jayhawks’ Ochai Agbaji, who missed last game, cleared to play against Baylor
Kansas senior guard Ochai Agbaji tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday and is expected to play in Saturday’s home game against defending national champion Baylor, KU coach Bill Self revealed Friday.
Agbaji, who missed KU’s 70-61 victory Tuesday at Iowa State after testing positive over the weekend, has been cleared by Big 12 health and safety protocols that require a player to quarantine five days then test negative, KU officials said.
Self said Agbaji would practice Friday afternoon and figures to be on the court for the 3 p.m. game between No. 10-ranked KU (18-3, 7-1) and the No. 8-ranked Bears (19-3, 7-2).
“As long as he feels up to it which I certainly assume he would, he can participate moving forward with what we’re doing,” Self said, speaking to media before Friday afternoon’s practice at Allen Fieldhouse. “I’m excited about that obviously and I know he is and our teammates will be as well.”
Freshman guard Kyle Cuffe, who is redshirting this season, also tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. He would not attend practice Friday.
“He’s not out of protocol yet,” Self said of Cuffe. “He’s still having a few symptoms. We hope to get him back tomorrow or the next day, whenever it is. As of today he’s still in protocol.”
KU senior guard Remy Martin, who missed the Iowa State game after being limited in the previous four games because of the bone bruise in his right knee he suffered in late December, is not expected to play versus Baylor.
“We said we’re going to give him an extended time. That time obviously hasn’t come to be yet,” Self said. “I don’t know what the time is on it. I’d rather get a Remy at 90% or 95% than a Remy at 60% or 65% many games as opposed to 90% less games. We hope he can get to 100%. All the tests remain consistent with what the doctors felt all along. He’s got a bruise. It is sore and he is making positive progress,” Self added.
Senior guard Jalen Coleman-Lands, who fell hard on both wrists shortly after hitting a pair of threes Tuesday at Iowa State, is available for practice and Saturday’s game, Self said.
“He fell on both wrists. He took off 16 feet at full speed and tried to run over a 7-footer that weighs about 270 pounds. It was probably not the brightest play,” Self said. “When he landed he landed on both wrists. I think the left one got nicked more than the right one. He practiced yesterday. He’s capable of playing,” Self added.
Freshman forward Zach Clemence, who has missed the last seven games because of a toe injury, remains out of action.
“Zach is still a no-go. We think he’s getting closer. Even though a crack (in toe) or whatever it was, it’s a fracture that takes four to six weeks to heal. We are finishing the fourth week. He’s right where we thought he’d be. He says he’s close to being out there full speed,” Self added.
Self indicated 6-foot soph guard Joseph Yesufu, who had seven points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 23 minutes at Iowa State, figures to be in the rotation Saturday.
“We’ve (with Agbaji missing one game) seen what it can look like when Joseph gets an opportunity to play,” Self said. “Athletically he obviously made a difference out there. I think that’s a big plus.”
Asked how he can find minutes for Yesufu, Self said: “I think it’ll be easier now to play guys more when Remy is not playing. If Remy was 100% healthy those opportunities probably wouldn’t be as many as they are now. He (Yesufu) showed the other night that even without shooting the ball — he went 2-for-7 — he can still impact our team in a very very big way which he did the other night.
“You can see since Tuesday he has a different pep in his step. He feels he is a contributor,” Self added.
Indeed, Yesufu indicated the ISU game gave him a jolt of confidence.
“I’m starting to feel like the old Joe, getting a feel for everything again. I’m happy I got that moment on the court,” Yesufu said. “I have to be a dog every possession. It doesn’t matte defensively, offensively. I have to be a dog in whatever I do.”
He’ll be enthused Saturday with Agbaji back on the court.
“I talked to him. He’s doing fine. We’re happy to have him back, (the) national player of the year … we’re excited he’s able to play tomorrow,” Yesufu said.
KU will meet Texas at 8 p.m. Monday in Austin, Texas.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Kansas Jayhawks’ Ochai Agbaji, who missed last game, cleared to play against Baylor."
