KU basketball could get injured players back for Tuesday’s exhibition vs. Washburn

Injured Jayhawks on track to return

After battling a barrage of injuries throughout the early portion of the 2022-23 season, the Kansas Jayhawks could be getting some much-needed reinforcements back in time for Tuesday’s exhibition contest against Washburn.

According to head coach Bill Self, both junior forward Jalen Wilson and sophomore guard Bobby Pettiford are expected to make their season debuts on Tuesday. Wilson has been sidelined since suffering a sprained ankle in the team’s exhibition opener against Ottawa earlier this month. Pettiford, meanwhile, has been dealing with a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the first two games of the season.

Wilson and Pettiford’s return will be a major boost for the Jayhawks

Wilson is one of the most talented players on the Kansas roster. He averaged 11.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season and was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team. Pettiford is a promising young guard who is expected to play a significant role for the Jayhawks this season.

With Wilson and Pettiford back in the lineup, the Jayhawks will have a much deeper and more experienced team. This will be especially important in the early going, as Kansas is scheduled to face a tough non-conference schedule.

The Jayhawks will open the regular season on Monday, Nov. 7, against Omaha. They will then face North Dakota State on Nov. 11 and Southern Utah on Nov. 14 before traveling to Maui for the Maui Invitational.

The Maui Invitational is one of the most prestigious early-season tournaments in college basketball. The Jayhawks will face LSU, Arizona, and Purdue in the tournament. If they win their first two games, they will advance to the championship game on Nov. 21.