What is Kevin McCullar Jr.'s injury? Expected return timeline for similar injuries explored

As March Madness approaches, the Kansas Jayhawks face a huge blow as their star guard Kevin McCullar Jr. has been ruled out due to a knee injury. His absence will leave a void in their lineup and might deeply impact their performance in this crucial tournament.

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What is Kevin McCullar's injury?

McCullar Jr. has been ruled out of the NCAA tournament due to a knee injury. He is suffering from a bone bruise on his knee.

Jayhawks head coach Bill Self confirmed the major blow, saying that his knee pain has not improved enough for him to perform effectively on the court as he could not even practice in the past six weeks. He said:

"He is out. We're shutting him down for the tournament.. he tried to [play] and he just couldn't go."

Due to the injury, McCullar was absent from the final six of 12 games of the season, including the Big 12 tournament.

He has averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game this season. He also has an impressive field goal percentage of 45.4%. He also boasts an 80.5% free-throw percentage and a 33.3% 3-point field-goal percentage.

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Expected return timeline for similar injuries

Kansas v Baylor

Bone bruises can vary in how severe they are, which further decides how much time they will take to heal.

Specific details about the severity of McCullar's bone bruise haven't been disclosed yet, so it's not possible to predict how much time it will take to heal just yet. While most bone bruises heal over 1-2 months, larger bruises may require a longer recovery period.

Kansas Jayhawks (22-10) are in the sixth spot in the Big 12 with a conference record of 10-8. McCullar's absence will undoubtedly impact Jayhawks' performance in the tournament, as he has been a key contributor throughout the season.

The Jayhawks have secured the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region. They will face the Samford Bulldog in their first round, which is not an easy opponent to begin the tournament with.

Adding to it, the loss of Kevin McCullar Jr., their leading scorer, and Hunter Dickinson (who is expected to return by the Round of 64) the Kansas Jayhwaks' path to advance further in the tournament is not looking too good at the moment.

What do you think about the Kansas Jayhawks' March Madness 2024 run? Let us know in the comments section.

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