Will Kansas Jayhawks forward Bryson Tiller burn his redshirt? Here’s what he said
Kansas Jayhawks basketball signee Bryson Tiller arrives in Lawrence on Jan. 6, but he’s already started building chemistry with his KU teammates.
Several Kansas players have been keeping in touch with Tiller, who will arrive a semester early and redshirt for the remainder of the 2024-25 college basketball season.
“A couple of guys (Elmarko Jackson, Flory Bidunga and Dajuan Harris) reached out to (tell) me they are excited to have me up there,” Tiller told The Star. “It will be great for all of us. For them to have the extra body — new body — and for me to just go ahead and get acclimated to the system on how things are going to go for me personally.”
The five-star recruit from Overtime Elite chose the Jayhawks over Auburn, Georgia Tech and Indiana in November.
Last season, he averaged 12.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 28.1 minutes per game for the City Reapers of the Overtime Elite League.
He hasn’t played in a game for OTE since May due to an ankle injury. He’s spent a lot of time watching film, rehabbing and doing plenty of strength training.
While recovering, he’s focused on developing his hoops IQ and ball-handling skills while staying as close to the game as possible.
He should be back on the court soon.
“We are slowly progressing to getting back to on-court stuff,” Tiller said. “I’d say I’d begin practicing with the team in late January, early February.”
For Tiller, the decision to redshirt was reached in recent weeks. He said he discussed the prospect with his family after signing with the Jayhawks. He also said there was nothing in particular that initiated the conversation about redshirting.
When Tiller’s representatives talked to KU’s coaching staff about the possibility of redshirting, coach Bill Self and company apparently thought it was a great idea.
Now Tiller is just counting down the days until he arrives in Lawrence. He’s looking forward to the challenge of playing college basketball.
“I’m definitely trying to go out there and prove myself every day,” he said. “Practices are like games for me, so I am definitely going to get better while I am there. (I) just (want) to show who I am as a player.”
He believes his time spent rehabbing from injury has enabled him to see the game differently.
“Watching my team on the bench, it allows me to see the game from different angles,” he said. “You can see more of it. I feel like that will definitely carry over well.
“I feel like as long as the coaches are on board, I feel like my input will definitely be appreciated — seeing it from a player’s perspective. … I’m definitely up to giving them some advice.”
As for Tiller’s understanding of what KU’s coaches expect from him during this redshirt season?
“Just go in there with an open mind, learn as much as I can before I get back on the court,” he said. “Even when I am on the court, just being available to practice and compete with the guys every day.”
Tiller believes the redshirt season will give him a significant advantage.
“It will give me some experience being around the players — the veterans,” he said. “I can learn the ins and outs quicker than any incoming freshman that is arriving in the summer.”
Just don’t expect to see Tiller in a game this season. He indicated he has no plans of burning his redshirt.
“As of right now, I’m not playing,” he said. “I’m just practicing with the team. That’s the plan right now.”
This story was originally published December 26, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Will Kansas Jayhawks forward Bryson Tiller burn his redshirt? Here’s what he said."
