Former Kansas forward KJ Adams will soon make his return to the basketball court after a yearlong absence from competitive play.
Adams, who suffered a torn Achilles in his final collegiate game on March 20, 2025, is getting a shot in the NBA Summer League. He will play for the Golden State Warriors in the annual preseason exhibition event. The Warriors’ schedule begins in the California Classic with a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in San Francisco on Friday night.
Adams’ presence on the Warriors became public on Monday night when the team revealed its roser to reporters at its Summer League media day.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward out of Austin, Texas, a fan favorite during his four-year KU tenure, spent four seasons with the Jayhawks. He served as a rotational piece on the national title team as a freshman in 2021-22, then won the award for the Big 12’s most improved player while starting as a small-ball center the following season.
Adams was also an all-conference honorable mention during his junior year, his most productive overall, when he averaged 12.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while playing alongside Hunter Dickinson in the frontcourt. He then scored somewhat less but improved his rebounding totals as a senior.
He suffered his devastating injury in the final minutes of a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Arkansas when he landed awkwardly after grabbing a defensive rebound with just over three minutes remaining and the Jayhawks ahead 67-64. After he exited, the Razorbacks scored seven straight and ended up winning 79-72.
Adams had successful surgery soon afterward, and in the year since, he has served as an assistant video coordinator on head coach Bill Self’s staff while rehabilitating his injury and getting back up to speed. Self said recently that Adams had worked out for the Dallas Mavericks.
“He’s not where he needs to be, but he told me he felt pretty good and felt good to be out there and he probably did a little bit better than he had anticipated,” Self said on June 23. “But yeah, he has the ability to do that now.”
He will be one of a variety of former KU players taking part in the NBA Summer League. No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson will play for the Utah Jazz, and undrafted rookies Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White are in line to see time for the New Orleans Pelicans and Miami Heat, respectively. Adams’ former teammate Zeke Mayo, who spent last year with the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League, will play for the Atlanta Hawks, his agency also announced on Monday. More will likely be announced soon.
