Kansas center Hunter Dickinson was inactive in the Jayhawks’ exhibition match vs. Arkansas due to a lingering foot injury.
On Sunday, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein provided an update on Dickinson’s status for the Jayhawks season opener vs. Howard.
“Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson (foot) and Shakeel Moore (foot) ‘should be available’ for tomorrow’s opener against Howard, per Bill Self,” Rothstein wrote.
Dickinson was listed as a Preseason All-American and Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year ahead of the 2024-25 season. In 2023-24 under Bill Self, Dickinson continued his dominant play, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game while connecting on 54.8% from the field.
He leads an impressive cast of names in Lawrence, including AJ Storr, KJ Adams, Dajuan Harris, Zeke Mayo, Flory Bidunga, and many more. The Jayhawks were picked to finish first in the Preseason Media Poll, narrowly edging past last year’s regular-season champions, the Houston Cougars.
Without Dickinson, the Jayhawks lost the exhibition match with Arkansas, 85-69. The team struggled offensively, converting just 45.3% of shots from the field. The team was decent from two-point land, with 29-64 shots falling. However, the three-point line and free-throw stripe were a different story. Kansas connected on 30.4% from three and 40% (4-10) from the foul line.
While Howard may not pose as much of a threat as teams in the loaded Big 12 Conference, the addition of a healthy Dickinson is a major plus for Bill Self’s squad.
