Bill Self announces Kansas guard Elmarko Jackson tore patellar tendon, out for 2024-25 season

Kansas head coach Bill Self has announced guard Elmarko Jackson will miss the 2024-2025 season due to an injury. Jackson tore his patellar tendon on Tuesday when working a camp and after getting an MRI, he will need a full 12 months to recover.

A big loss for the Jayhawks a few months out from the beginning of the season. Based on the timeline, Jackson should be back in the summer of 2025 and ready to contribute in his third season on campus.

“Yesterday, while working out in front of the campers, Elmarko Jackson tore his patellar tendon, an MRI conducted by the Kansas team health confirmed last night,” Self said in a statement. “It will require surgery within the next several days and a full recovery is anticipated. Elmarko will be able to assume non-contract basketball duties in the next several months but the full rehab process will take approximately 12 months.

“We are all crushed by this. Elmarko” has had a terrific spring. He has worked so hard and improved so much. This will be a challenge that he will meet head on and he will return as good as ever.”

Jackson played in 34 games as a true freshman last year, averaging 4.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Seventeen of the appearances were starts before moving to the bench later in the season. His career high, from a scoring perspective, came during a nonconference matchup against Wichita State with 12 points.

On3’s James Fletcher currently has Kansas ranked No. 3 in his latest way-too-early top 25 rankings. Jackson was not projected to be a starter with Dajuan Harris coming back to man the point guard position. AJ Storr and Rylan Griffen, two players the Jayhawks acquired through the NCAA transfer portal, occupied the other two spots.

Even so, Jackson is a big loss for Kansas. He is still thought to have a ton of potential and getting a full offseason under Self would be a big step in his development. Instead, rehab will be taking place so Jackson can return to the game at a high level in a year’s time.

Jackson played high school basketball at Marlton (NJ) South Kent School, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 22 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.