SALT LAKE CITY — Kansas star Hunter Dickinson says his shoulder feels “good” and is set to help carry his shorthanded Jayhawks in their opening NCAA Tournament matchup on Thursday.
Dickinson dislocated his shoulder in a regular season-ending March 9 loss to Houston. After original concerns he may have torn his labrum, the 7-foot-2 center ended up not needing surgery and was instead rested for the Jayhawks’ trip to last week’s Big 12 tournament.
“The shoulder feels good, good enough to be out there with my teammates,” Dickinson said Wednesday in a pre-NCAA Tournament press conference.
Kansas coach Bill Self said Dickinson isn’t playing with any limitations and will be full-go on Thursday.
Kansas, the No. 4 seed in the West Regional, is a trendy pick as a potential upset victim in a first-round game against 13th-seeded Samford.
The Jayhawks are without star Kevin McCullar Jr., who coach Bill Self announced Tuesday will miss the entire NCAA Tournament with a knee injury that has not improved.
With the injuries to McCullar and Dickinson, the Jayhawks skid down the stretch, losing four of their final five games, including a one-and-done loss to Cincinnati in the Big 12 tournament.
McCullar fluctuated in and out of the lineup over the final two months of the season, missing six games. Those absences were felt. Dickinson, for instance, shot 57.4 percent from the field in games McCullar played and 43.1 percent in games he missed. The Jayhawks went 3-3 in those games.
For the season, Dickinson averaged 18.0 points on 55 percent shooting and 10.8 rebounds per game, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors. Those numbers dipped slightly down the stretch — 15.8 points on 50 percent shooting, 10.8 rebounds, and 12-of-25 shooting from the free-throw line.
Kansas hasn’t lost a first-round NCAA Tournament game since a 2006 opening loss to Bradley as a No. 4 seed.
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(Photo: Troy Taormina / USA Today)
