Bill Self optimistic that Joel Embiid could play again this year

Kansas head coach Bill Self explained timeline of Joel Embiid’s back injury. The big man is out with a stress fracture.

But Self is optimistic that Embiid can play again this season.

Per KUSports, If Okafor could bounce back so quickly, might Embiid be prepared to play for KU as early as March 28, should the team advance to the Sweet 16? Self reiterated that everybody’s different.
“How quickly and if Jo comes back will be determined by his symptoms and how well he does in rehab,” Self said. “I am not optimistic that there is a definite time frame, but I’m very optimistic that it’s possible that if our team is successful enough, he could play again this year.”
Self won’t be the one to give the green light, but showed before the TCU game Embiid missed he could flash the red light against his player’s wishes.
“That decision will be 100 percent Joel’s, based on his health, based on his symptoms and based on the doctors agreeing with that (if Embiid says he is symptom-free and wants to play),” Self said. “In no way will any of our players, including Joel, be put at risk. If anything, we are taking a conservative approach, as evidenced by resting him the first time that he experienced any discomfort at all.”