Kansas University freshman David Padgett, who had to be helped off James Naismith Court after severely spraining his right ankle Sunday, walked onto the same court with just a slight limp Monday.
The 6-foot-11, 230-pounder didn’t practice, but looked like a guy who could have played in a pinch.
“I think he’s doubtful for sure,” KU coach Bill Self said of Padgett’s status for Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. home battle against Nebraska, “(but) he’s responded much better to treatment than we originally thought he would. I’m definitely more encouraged today.
“He is able to walk with just a little limp right now. Who knows how he’ll be doing by Wednesday?” Self said.
Later, on his Hawk Talk radio show, Self said Padgett “is a tough kid. He’s been hurt a lot the last three years. He knows the difference between being hurt and playing with some pain. If it’s humanly possible, he’ll go. I don’t know if it’s humanly possible.”
Meanwhile, freshman J.R. Giddens, who re-sprained his surgically repaired left foot in Sunday’s 79-58 win over Oklahoma, didn’t practice Monday, but is expected to play Wednesday.
“J.R. is fine. He’ll have some problems with it the rest of the season until it gets rest. I don’t think it’ll require surgery. It will require rest, like Wayne’s groin,” Self added of Wayne Simien’s recurring groin problems.
The Jayhawks have had a batch of foot injuries this season. Giddens had surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot last summer and has had problems with the foot the second half of this campaign.
Padgett has had to wear a boot on his left foot at times because that foot has shown signs of the beginning stages of a stress fracture.
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Senior Bryant Nash of late has shown the same signs of the beginning stages of a stress fracture in his right foot.
Nash, like Padgett and Giddens, has worn a boot when not practicing the past week, but Nash practiced Monday and also is expected to play Wednesday. Senior Aaron Miles also suffered a nasty ankle sprain earlier this campaign.
“It’s unbelievable the number of bad feet we’ve had,” Self said. “We don’t think it’s the shoes because the guys are wearing different (Nike) shoes, but it’s certainly been a unique deal to have that many.”
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Senior Night lineup: Self said he will start seniors Nash (for Giddens) and Jeff Graves (for Padgett) on Senior Night. Walk-on Brett Olson will not start, but Self certainly hopes a situation will present itself so that Olson can enter the game.
Olson hasn’t practiced with the first teamers all season.
“Ideally, we will do all we can,” Self said of Olson playing. “Nebraska has already beaten us badly. They are playing well. We need to do all we can to win the game.
“Brett Olson,” the coach added, “has been as good a role model and leader as we’ve had on this team. Everybody totally respects Brett. He will graduate 4.0 and go to med school next year.”
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Senior sendoff: Graves, Olson and Nash and their parents will be introduced with the annual shower of flowers before the game. Afterward, each will speak to the fans.
“I’ll probably be as nervous as I’ve been in my whole life,” Graves said. “I’ve been thinking about it ever since I watched Nick (Collison) and Kirk (Hinrich) give speeches last year. I might use some of their lines.
Asked if he would get emotional Graves said, “I don’t know if any crying will come out. It might give me some brownie points with the ladies, though.”
Graves, who has had some tardiness problems this season — he didn’t suit up for the first Nebraska game and was suspended for the Oregon game in Kemper Arena — said his season has had its ups and downs.
“It has been kind of rough where I keep seeing the negatives instead of the positives,” Graves said. “Missing the Oregon game in Kansas City was tough. That was my homecoming.
“I’ve taken a lot of criticism from everybody, but I’ve taken it like a man. All I can do is try to correct it. It’s what I’ve always done.”
Graves said he’s deserved “some of it (criticism). Most people don’t know half of it. People have their own opinions.”
He said he’s had some personal problems, including the death of his great aunt, who in the past monthly suffered a heart attack then died of complications.
Graves went to his aunt’s funeral two weeks ago in Tennessee.
“That was part of my downfall,” Graves said. “I’ll dedicate everything the rest of the season toward her, for her.”
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Bench breakdown: Self said Christian Moody would be first big man off the bench Wednesday night, but that Moulaye Niang also might see duty.
“The way Nebraska plays it will be somebody who can defend the low post. They killed us up there,” he said of the Huskers’ inside players.
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Batista visits KU: J.P. Batista, a 6-8, 260-pound sophomore forward from Barton County CC, attended Sunday’s KU-Oklahoma game and sat behind the Jayhawks’ bench. Kansas, which has no scholarships to give in recruiting, is looking at Batista and others as insurance in case any players leave the program after the season.