According to the Kansas City Star, Kansas forward Josh Jackson has been suspended for the team’s first game in the Big 12 tournament. Provided the Jayhawks win their opening matchup against the winner of today’s Oklahoma-TCU clash, Jackson will be available to play in the semifinals.
Per the Star, Jackson backed into a parked car on campus and drove off without leaving his insurance or contact information on Feb. 2; five days later, he was issued a ticket for “striking an unattended vehicle, inattentive driving and improper backing.” He will now have to appear in municipal court the morning of March 27, as this was his third traffic citation. Self will start Lagerald Vick in place of Jackson for Thursday’s Big 12 tournament quarterfinals.
“Although Josh has acknowledged his responsibility and has handled it himself, he didn’t tell me about it until Monday,” Self said in a release. “He should have left his contact information at the time and notified us immediately.”
The hit-and-run earned Jackson his second court appearance, as he was previously charged with criminal damage to property. After arguing with women’s basketball player McKenzie Calvert outside a Lawrence bar, Jackson followed her to her vehicle across the street and kicked her car, busting her taillight, while she sat in the driver’s seat attempting to leave. This was preceded by an argument at the bar between Calvert and Vick, who the school already found likely guilty of beating her in 2015 and 2016, which concluded with Calvert tossing her drink in Vick’s face.
After the run-in with Jackson and Vick, Calvert was banned from accessing the team gym or attending film sessions for two days and was suspended from the team’s upcoming game; she was allowed to suit up after her father contacted head coach Brandon Schneider but did not play, with team officials claiming she was not feeling well.
The upcoming game will mark Jackson’s first missed start of the season. He was punished “in-house” for busting up the car of a fellow athlete, according to a Kansas spokesperson.