Nick KrugKansas basketball coach Bill Self said Monday that there was still no update on the timetable for senior guard Remy Martin to return from the bone bruise in his right knee that has kept him out of the last six KU games.
And at this point, Self has started to prepare his team as if it will not have Martin in the lineup.
“It’s almost to the point (where) I don’t ask,” Self said of Martin’s status. “Because I know he’ll get out there when he feels comfortable.”
There are signs of Martin’s return nearing. Self said Monday that the Arizona State transfer practiced on a “limited” basis last Thursday and Friday even though he did not play in Saturday’s win at West Virginia.
“Limited means he was out there in full contact, but only (for) very few reps, so I don’t know where that’ll be today,” Self said while speaking with local media members before Monday’s practice. “We’re preparing like we definitely do not have him. And then if something happens and we do, then that’d be a nice, pleasant bonus. But I’m preparing like we do not.”
Earlier Monday, Self explained how Martin’s absence — like Jalen Wilson’s during the first three games of the season — has forced certain Jayhawks to adapt in ways they may not have foreseen coming.
“The team that we thought we’d have going into the season isn’t the same now in February because of (the absence of) Remy,” Self said. “So I still don’t think we’re whole yet, but I do think that we’ve adjusted pretty well (to) playing without Remy. Even though we need him — there’s no question about that — I think the guys have adjusted OK to playing with one little guard.”
Self said playing with Dajuan Harris Jr. as the primary and oftentimes only elite ball handler on the floor has forced guys like Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun and Wilson to become more comfortable bringing the ball up the floor and initiating offense.
“(That) may have made us a better, more complete offensive team,” Self said. “… But it’d be nice to have all our pieces back.”
Martin last appeared in a KU game on Jan. 29 in the Jayhawks’ home loss to Kentucky.
After that, Martin and team doctors decided to shut it down completely to allow the injury to heal. The Jayhawks are 5-1 in the six games since then and 8-1 overall in the nine games in which the Big 12’s preseason player of the year has not played.
