Kansas Basketball Exhibition Opponent Entering Game With Key Injuries

As the Jayhawks prepare to face off against No. 16 Arkansas, John Calipari’s Razorbacks are dealing with a bit of a hiccup.

Mar 20, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self during the NCAA first round practice session at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

As No. 1 Kansas basketball prepares for a highly anticipated charity exhibition matchup against No. 16 Arkansas, the Razorbacks are dealing with some significant injury concerns.

Arkansas head coach John Calipari, speaking at SEC Media Day in Birmingham, Alabama on Tuesday, revealed that his team may be missing several key players for the game, which is set for nine days from now.

“Hopefully, we’re going to have a somewhat full team,” Calipari stated. “Right now, we’re down three or four guys. Hopefully, a couple of those guys will be available to play, but neither Bill [Self] nor I would push a player because of an exhibition game. If he needs to sit out, he’ll sit out.”

While Calipari did not go into detail about each injured player, he did mention forward Adou Thiero, who has been dealing with physical setbacks over the past couple of weeks. Thiero was in attendance at SEC Media Day but may not be ready for the exhibition.

“He’s been a little beat up here the last week and a half, two weeks,” Calipari added. “Hoping he’ll be able to go against Kansas, but I’m not sure. If there’s any question, I’ll hold him out.”

With Arkansas' roster possibly not at full strength, Kansas could face a Razorbacks team missing critical pieces in what many see as a valuable preseason test for both programs.

Despite the injuries, Calipari remains focused on the bigger picture, prioritizing the health of his players over an exhibition result.

The exhibition will serve as a major tune-up for both teams before they dive into their respective regular seasons, with all eyes on how Kansas performs against a ranked opponent—even if Arkansas may be shorthanded for the event.

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