NCAA News Wire
Kansas C Embiid sees back specialist
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Kansas freshman center Joel Embiid went to Los Angeles on Monday see a back specialist, but coach Bill Self expects him to be ready for the postseason.
Embiid missed the final two games of the regular season with a lower-back injury. He is seeking a second opinion on the status of his injury.
“This was the plan all along,” Self said. “We don’t anticipate anything new, but we owe it to Joel and his family to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”
Self said he hopes to learn later Monday what the doctor finds out. He did acknowledge that Embiid could miss this week’s Big 12 Tournament.
“I’m optimistic he’ll play soon,” Self said. “He’ll be back. I’m 100 percent optimistic he’ll be back. We just don’t know yet whether it will be this week or next week. We’re not going to put him out there until the doctors say he’s ready.”
The 7-footer is considered by some to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft if he decides to leave school.
Embiid first injured his back in the second half of a win against West Virginia and missed the following game Feb. 15 against TCU. He played the next three games before re-injuring his back during the March 1 loss at Oklahoma State.
Embiid is averaging 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.
