Kansas may be counting on Trey Kaufman-Renn before he’s ready to play
Kansas has added one of the most accomplished big men available, but Trey Kaufman-Renn’s arrival comes with a question Bill Self can’t yet answer publicly: Will he be ready when the games count? Self said Wednesday that he is “planning on playing” Kaufman-Renn in Kansas’ Nov. 2 opener against Fordham, while stopping short of confirming the forward’s availability. The coach cited conditioning and an ankle injury after Kaufman-Renn missed the Jayhawks’ two exhibitions. He had turned his ankle in practice before the Oct. 25 exhibition against Duke. That uncertainty matters because Kansas did not bring Kaufman-Renn in simply to fill out its frontcourt. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 14.2 points and 8.3 rebounds for Purdue last season and has experience playing both power forward and center. When he is fit and available, he is expected to have a significant role in the Jayhawks’ plans. MORE…