Elmarko Jackson injury: Kansas guard expected to miss 2024-25 season after knee injury suffered in youth camp

USATSI

Kansas guard Elmarko Jackson is expected to miss the entire 2024-25 season after suffering a torn patellar tendon, KU coach Bill Self announced Wednesday. The injury occurred Tuesday during a workout as the Jayhawks hosted a youth basketball camp.

“It will require surgery within the next several days and a full recovery is anticipated,” Self said. “Elmarko will be able to assume non-contact basketball duties in the next several months, but the full rehab process will take approximately 12 months.”

Jackson, a rising sophomore, appeared in all 34 games for Kansas as a true freshman, logging 17 starts and averaging 4.3 points with 1.7 assists per game. The former McDonald’s All-American was expected to be a role player in 2024-25 for a Jayhawks team that is ranked No. 1 in Gary Parrish’s Top 25 And 1.

“We are all crushed by this,” Self said. “Elmarko has had a terrific spring. He has worked so hard and improved so much. This will be a challenge that he will meet head on and he will return as good as ever.”

Kansas struggled with depth last season while finishing 23-11 with a 21-point loss to Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. While Jackson’s injury marks a rough milestone in the Jayhawks’ offseason, Self has worked hard to bolster the program’s roster.

While star guard Kevin McCullar Jr. and one-and-done wing Johnny Furphy have departed, Kansas is bringing in three perimeter players ranked in the top-50 of the CBS Sports Transfer Rankings. Those three — AJ Storr (Wisconsin), Rylan Griffen (Alabama) and Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) — will combine with a pair of top-50 signees to help the Jayhawks cope with Jackson’s absence.

The Jayhawks return veteran starters Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams Jr. and…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/elmarko-jackson-injury-kansas-guard-expected-to-miss-2024-25-season-after-knee-injury-suffered-in-youth-camp/

Author : David Cobb

Publish date : 2024-06-05 19:24:02

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