Kansas Jayhawks’ forward David McCormack discusses possibility of returning to KU
Kansas senior power forward David McCormack hasn’t ruled out the possibility of returning to play for the Jayhawks via a Super Senior season in 2022-23.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA last year gave all players the option of adding an additional season to their college experience if they so desired.
“I mean, I haven’t made any concrete decisions,” McCormack, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound native of Norfolk, Virginia, said Friday.
He is one of six Jayhawks seniors who will be honored before Saturday’s 3 p.m. regular-season home finale against Texas and also speak to the fans after the game. The others: Ochai Agbaji, Mitch Lightfoot, Chris Teahan, Remy Martin and Jalen Coleman-Lands.
“I am going into the Senior Night just because it’s my fourth year and I have given a lot to the program,” McCormack said. “I still want to be able to give the speech, walk out with my parent (mom) and enjoy that time, this being my senior year.
“If there is another year, then I don’t know if you can double-down and have a second speech. I’m just going to enjoy it for what it’s worth. Right now that’s kind of in the back of my head. I’m going to go forward with the rest of the season doing as much as I can.”
On Friday, KU’s Bill Self didn’t sound like a coach who’s anticipating McCormack will return for a fifth season.
“I have not talked to Dave about it. We will as soon as the season is over,” Self said. “He’s been here four years. He’s done what he needs to do. He’s got his degree in three (years). His whole deal was get his degree in three in case he could leave after three. His foot (surgery last spring) didn’t allow him to test (NBA waters) last year.
“I am not anticipating him coming back, but I’m also not making the decision. That would be his and his family’s decision. Certainly the game plan with him I’m sure would be the same (as fellow senior Agbaji). It’s time for you to go try this and see how far basketball can take you. Who knows what that will be? He (McCormack) does have that option to come back because of the COVID deal.”
Agbaji is projected to be a possible first round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. McCormack could be taken in the second round or sign a summer-league contract with a team as a free agent.
“He made a good decision last year, and he’ll make a great decision this year: go (enter the draft),” Self said of Agbaji, a guard out of Oak Park High School. “I mean, it’s over.”
“You could reference it. Devonté (Graham) made the same decision (to return to KU for his senior year). He could have gone (after junior year) and he said, ‘Nah, the heck with it. I’m not even going to go to the Combine.’ He turned that down because he wanted to stay.
“A lot is based on personal preference and family preference and where they see the future. There’s not a right or wrong. There’s an advantage of being older. I think Ochai and Devonté and those kids have taken full advantage of that. Ochai made a great decision last year to come back. It was his decision. I think kids are more comfortable with those decisions when they know it’s theirs, as opposed to trying to convince him. It was all he and his family.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Kansas Jayhawks’ forward David McCormack discusses possibility of returning to KU."
