BY MICHAEL SWAIN
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas basketball forward KJ Adams affirmed his intention to return to Kansas for the 2024-25 season on Tuesday. Adams posted a photo of himself inside Allen Fieldhouse with the caption “Never was leaving” to his social media channels. Adams will be a senior for KU next season.
Adams is coming off a junior season in which he was named Honorable Mention All Big 12. He was a consistent performer for KU in his first season starting on the wing for the Jayhawks. He started 32 of KU’s 34 games, averaging 12.6 points per game on 60.1 percent shooting from the field, while adding 4.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Adams’ output in points, rebounds, assists and steals were all career highs.
The 6-foot-8 forward scored in double digits in 26 of KU’s 34 games during the season. He had a streak of 11 games in which he scored in double figures to begin conference play. He also scored 22 points against Cincinnati in the Big 12 Tournament in a contest that KU was without Kevin McCullar and Hunter Dickinson. He followed the performance with a 20-point showing against Samford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Adams played the five for KU during his sophomore year in 2022-23. He was named the Big 12’s most improved player, as he went from a marginal role player as a freshman to someone who averaged 10.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists on a KU team that won the Big 12.
The Austin, Texas native will enter his senior season with 107 games of experience and with over 2,000 minutes under his belt.
Looking to next season, Adams joins Dajuan Harris in KU players who have confirmed they will be back for the 2024-25 season.
Bill Self and the KU coaching staff have already begun work on the roster for next season as well. KU has three high school signees and has already landed a commitment from a transfer in guard Riley Kugel. The Florida transfer announced his commitment to KU on Sunday.
