Any Updates on the Ongoing Saga of Billy Preston?

I agree with you, Peter. In all the years I’ve been following KU men’s hoops and its issues I have never before encountered such preternatural quiet on an issue. Folks who do know anything at all seem to be solidly locked in on “loose lips sink ships”.

From kusports.com:
Kansas coach Bill Self had no news on withheld freshman Billy Preston, who missed his fifth consecutive game while KU’s compliance office attempts to sort out an issue involving a vehicle that he was driving in a one-car, noninjury accident on Nov. 11.

“There’s no new development,” Self said. “You know, holidays aren’t the best time to get a lot of development, so nothing’s happened since I last talked about it on Tuesday.

“And I’m sure nothing will happen over the weekend. We won’t be able to comment on anything maybe until Monday, but I doubt anything happens in the first four or five hours Monday. It’s not on our schedule, it’s on somebody else’s schedule.”

Pretty indicative KU is awaiting an NCAA ruling.

There has been some twitter traffic stating that "talk on the street" is Preston won't play until January. No credible sources are even implied, so looks like stirring the pot. Might very well work out to be the case the tweeter is right, but at this point we just don't know and it seems clear Self doesn't either, or he'd be providing more info about what's up.

Self knows what the issue(s) is, yes, and knows how he thinks it should be resolved. He does not know for certain what the resolution will actually be and when or if Preston will play.

I have been reading that Billy is still practicing with the team and has a very positive mindset, which I would think we can consider a plus for him playing in the not *too* distant future.

Today Self reported no word on his status yet.

Self also indicated that if DeSousa does graduate and get cleared to play early he probably wouldn’t play until the Big 12 opener (at Texas Dec 29).

Wish I had more positives to report.

Obviously, like everyone else, my primary hope is we get the kid back at all this year. My initial expectations were positive, just based on Self's initial explanation (which made it seem like a very short-term waiting period), but with each succeeding game and no Fifth Beatle to be seen on the court, my worries have increased.

Here's my concern with the "returns to play Texas" scenario. For some odd reason, the Big 12 season is starting early this year. I know this to be true because every year I take the family back home for Christmas break, and we usually get to see KU stomp some patsy (although one year we beat a decent Cal Bears team) over the holiday break.

Normally, KU teams have not yet fully hit their stride by Christmas break, NOR have they had the full offense installed. Given our veteran presence, the latter isn't as big of a concern this season. And we certainly seem to be hitting on most if not all cylinders against the recent cupcakes. That being said, I'm a little worried that a) we're starting earlier than normal in our key season to break the all-time successive league championships record; b) we're doing so very short-handed; and c) that lack of depth could hurt us having to play Shaka's full allotment right out of the gate. I know it's looking WAY ahead, and this isn't an "overwhelming dread" type of concern, but a mild one. I guess I'm just really bummed that we're so short-handed (inside) and still know nothing about when or if that will be alleviated (both Billy and DeSousa).

First-World problems, I know, but still some mild concern here.

I've not seen the comments myself, but apparently Matt Scott (from The Shiver on Kansas.247Sports.com) is writing that we can expect to see Preston back soon. Time will tell.

Meanwhile, enjoy this while we're waiting to hear that this is the case... Rock Chalk!


(Konza63 and I were in The Phog for this! KU!)

An update From Rumor Control Central (finally!) -- expect to see Preston in action for the Dec 6 game against the Washington Huskies at the Sprint Center.

Source: a poster on another site with a friend who "is a step sister with 2 former players and know [sic] big source on staff."

Info worth what you paid for it.

Hope it is good info nonetheless.

ROCK CHALK!