KU’s Josh Selby still waiting for word on eligibility

By Gary Bedore     Nov 9, 2010

KU coach Bill Self said he “wouldn’t be shocked, but would be surprised,” if he heard word (from the NCAA) about freshman Josh Selby’s eligibility by Friday’s 7 p.m., season-opener against Longwood.

“We’ll definitely hold him out until we know,” Self said.

“He’s been great, but he’s very very frustrated,” Self added of the player whose amateur status is being reviewed. “I talked to him yesterday. I’ll say, ‘Josh you are not playing very well.’ He’ll say, ‘Coach my head is messed up.’

“It’s the unknown. When there’s a resolution to it he’ll be more comfortable immediately. His attitude has been good but it’s been frustrating to him.”

Withey update: Sophomore center Jeff Withey, who had surgery to repair a broken bone in his right foot in late September, says there’s a way he could play a few minutes tonight.

“If I had some ibuprofen, yeah I think I could get in for about three minutes,” he said with a smile, noting his foot remains sore. “For the procedure not to get hurt, I don’t know if it’s worth it (to play tonight) to be honest. It’s been a pretty slow process. As long as it prevents injury in the future, I think it’s been worth it.”

Self said Withey has been working hard on the stationary bike.

“We have tried to make it more miserable on him to watch practice than it would be to actually participate. I think there’s some incentive on him coming back as quickly as he can because he’s been busting it with (strength) coach (Andrea Hudy) on the bike. He’s really been getting after it,” Self said.

Withey explained: “I really don’t like the bike. I’d definitely rather be practicing. That’s why yesterday I was so sick of the bike I said, ‘I’m going to go out there and run and see how it goes.’ It went pretty well. I’m a step closer to be sure because of the bike.”

Teahan likely to red-shirt: Self said KU senior guard Conner Teahan wouldn’t play tonight. More and more, it’s looking as if Teahan will red-shirt the season — practice but not play in games and finish his career in 2011-12.

“It hasn’t been decided, but we’re definitely leaning toward sitting him,” Self said. “You are losing Mario (Little), Brady (Morningstar) and Tyrel (Reed) for sure with other (early-entry NBA) possibilities out there. It’s an inexact deal because we don’t know who we are going to sign yet (in recruiting).”

Teahan, a Finance major, recently told the Journal-World he would like to get his MBA and it would make sense to red-shirt so he could play ball while attending class a fifth year.

Lineup not set: Self said he was unsure of tonight’s starting lineup. “I don’t know if I’m going to give some guys that didn’t start the last game a chance to start or am I going to think about this lineup being the same as Longwood (Friday’s 7 p.m. foe)? We haven’t decided that yet.”

Kaun has surgery: Former KU center Sasha Kaun, who plays professional basketball for CSKA Moscow in Russia, had left knee surgery Thursday at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

According to Eurobasket.com, the operation “was to remove a diseased component of the patellar tendon and the placement of a platelet rich plasma membrane to enhance healing.” Kaun will be out of action three months.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Richard Parker, the head physician for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Kaun’s NBA rights are held by the Cavs. He will decide after this season whether to return to Russia or begin an NBA career.

Signing date Wednesday: Naadir Tharpe, a 6-foot senior point guard from Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., who recently committed to KU, has told Rivals.com he will sign his national letter of intent on Wednesday — the first day of the week-long early signing period. There’s been no official word yet on whether Ben McLemore, a 6-5 senior guard from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., will sign in the early period or wait until spring to choose between current finalists KU and Missouri.

On Emporia State: Coach David Moe has a 146-112 record in nine seasons at ESU. The Hornets are 138-95 since 2002-03. … ESU beat Living The Dream, 99-81, and an ESU alumni team, 94-88, in a pair of previous exhibitions. … The Hornets’ leading returning scorer is Adam Holthaus, 6-7 out of Topeka, who averaged 12.5 ppg last year.

PREV POST

KU football to play Oklahoma State at 11 a.m. on Nov. 20

NEXT POST

36561KU’s Josh Selby still waiting for word on eligibility