22 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WWW.KANSAN.COM|SPORTS |WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2007
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Rush on the road to recovery
Junior guard hopes to return by start of December after several months of rehab on torn ACL in right knee
in right knee
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Junior guard Brandon Rush talks with media members on Monday outside the team's locker room about his recovery from knee surgery in June. Rush said he hoped to return to the court by December.
By Dylan Schoonover dschoonover@kansan.com
The NCAA tournament is eight months away, but the media in Allen Fieldhouse were still eager to learn about the status of Brandon Rush and his knee rehabilitation.
Rehab is a place Rush has become familiar with. He's there multiple times, three days a week, and he works on an exercise bike in between therapy sessions.
Rush said he watched the entire 2007 NBA Draft knowing he could have had his name called.
"It was kind of tough watching the draft, but I kept in mind that that's going to be me next year," Rush said. "I just have to look at it differently."
Rush said he had talked a few times to Julian Wright, who is in New Orleans "livin' the life." Wright told Rush that he was buying a house for himself and a house for his mother. While Wright is enjoying the perks of the NBA, Rush has to start attending classes again Aug. 16.
Rush said he wasn't depressed but he also wasn't looking forward to going back to the classroom. He won't be able to start running for another three months. He said that his therapists wouldn't let him come back on the court until he was fully recovered.
Rush is busy spending several hours each day rehabbing his knee hoping to be 100 percent by the start of December. He said he knew that if he didn't do the necessary exercises to help heal his knee, he may end
up with the limited mobility of his brother, which is currently seen at the Kansas City ProAm league.
"I've been there, I had the same injury," JaRon Rush, Brandon's brother, said. "I've lost explosiveness from not rehabling it right. He's got to rehab it constantly."
Kansas coach Bill Self said that another year in school could help Rush develop better ball-handling and passing skills. He also said it could give him time to address work ethic.
"I told him it's no one's fault. If it had to happen, it was better to happen weeks before the draft process," Self said. "I expect this season to be his last year."
Rush said he was looking forward to being able to dunk a basketball again once his therapists gave him the green light. He said he was feeling pretty good and even shooting a basketball a little bit. He said along with his family, his best friend Mario Chalmers had helped him keep his head up during the frustrating time.
Prior to the knee injury in May, Rush hadn't had a serious injury since he broke his wrist when he was 10. Rush said he would be busy helping out during games and practices even though he couldn't play.
"Coach Self may not want a lot of coaching help." Rush said. "He's already got five assistants."
— Edited by Joe Caponio
By Dylan Schoonover
dschoonover@kansan.com
Darrell Arthur can't remember a time in his life when he had an injury that kept him out of more than one basketball game.
Arthur
Forward expects to return by September
Arthur
Arthur not concerned about injured left leg
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"I'm young, I'll have the chance to play another world championship, hopefully," Arthur said. "Now instead of playing, I'll be in getting therapy the same time as Brandon."
Arthur was the second Jayhawk injured during the past few months after junior guard Brandon Rush tore the ACL in his right knee in late May.
said suffering the stress fracture in the lower part of his left leg in early July frustrated him because not only did it cause him to
miss the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championship in Serbia, it also hasn't allowed him time to participate in summer leagues and morning conditioning that would have strengthened his game during the offseason.
Arthur said the therapy would consist of a ball stimulation that runs over the top and sides of his lower leg, near the shin. He said the therapy was not painful
but it was important to take seriously because if not done right, the injury would persist.
"There's just a small pain in my leg," Arthur said. "Everybody around me says to take it day-by-day and most importantly rehab back completely."
Kansas coach Bill Self said in a press release that this type of injury wasn't uncommon. He said he understood the disappointment for Arthur but if it had to happen, the summer was the better time.
Missing games during the upcoming season shouldn't be an issue for Arthur. He is expected to return from the injury by the beginning of September at the latest. While he said he wasn't in any hurry to return, Arthur was confident the injury would heal quickly and he would be able to get back to playing.
He said he had to stay positive during the summer. So far, Arthur was only able to log one official game in Kansas City playing for team Fade Away in the Kansas City ProAm league. It could be worse, however: If Arthur suffered this injury during the year, the Jayhawks could have been without two potential starters.
"I'm not worried about it too much. It's getting better, I just have to stay off it," Arthur said. "I'll be back by the first practice for sure."
— Edited by Joe Caponio