Giddens to leave KU in wake of bar fight

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Guard J.R. Giddens, who is recovering from knife wounds suffered in a bar fight, is leaving Kansas and will transfer to another school, coach Bill Self announced Thursday.

"We've talked numerous times about this and basically last night, we came to the conclusion together that it was in his best interests and our best interests to part ways and go in different directions," Self said at a news conference.

The 6-foot-5 Giddens and five other persons were injured in a fight outside the Moon Bar in Lawrence on May 19. He had a sliced artery in his right calf that required 30 stitches.

Police have received conflicting accounts from those involved and witnesses about what led to the altercation, and no charges have been filed.

Although he does not know where he might transfer to, Giddens is unlikely to stay in the Big 12 since that would require him to lose one year and sit out another. If he transfers to another conference, he would sit out a year but would not lose another year of eligibility.

"The reports we get back on his health are very favorable at this stage," Self said. "I hope he goes somewhere and is all-league and has a chance to live out his dreams and play this game for a long time. I hope that works out."

Kansas is conducting its own investigation of the incident, but Self insisted his decision was not meant as a disciplinary action and had nothing to do with any legal action that may be pending.

"This is not based on a police report," Self said. "It's not based on the DA's decision. It's not based on our personal investigation. This is based on J.R. and I wanting a fresh start."

The incident, which could still make headlines if charges are filed, has damaged the squeaky-clean reputation which Kansas has worked hard to maintain.

"I think this is a cloud that will probably hover above us for a while," Self said.

Giddens had a disappointing sophomore season, culminating in an 0-for-5 shooting performance in the shocking 64-63 loss to No. 14 seed Bucknell in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

For the year, he averaged a little more than 10 points and was criticized for inconsistency and poor defense. But he still would have been the leading returning scorer for a team that lost four seniors, including first-round NBA draft pick Wayne Simien.

So now the Jayhawks in Self's third season will be led by a trio of highly touted freshmen -- 6-8 swingmen Julian Wright and Micah Downs and point guard Mario Chalmers.

"We're young. This team deserves to go through this next season with our focus being on basketball, as opposed to being on outside factors that we can't control," Self said.

"We went out and signed a heck of a recruiting class -- three guys who are difference-makers. We're not ill-equipped to go into battle next year on the court. To be very candid, there would have been a lot of competition for anybody to get on the court."

Nevertheless, Self admitted the incident had caught the attention of potential recruits as well as "the parents of our current players."

"When you have a situation like this, it reflects on everybody. And when you look at everybody, that's really not a fair assessment," he said. "We had 11 guys last year, out of 17, make a 3.0 this semester. We've got a lot of good things going and these guys have worked their tails off knowing that every move they make is magnified. It's not easy being a player at any place that's so high profile."

Self said the Kansas basketball program is "not broken."

"This was a bad situation," he said. "We believe it was an isolated situation, but one that has certainly, and rightly so, has created a stir in our program."

While still in high school in December 2002, Giddens was arrested on several charges stemming from a theft from a Wal-Mart store. Authorities said at the time that the juvenile case was resolved "in a way that will not jeopardize his future basketball career."

Self said he expects to help Giddens find another school.

"I'm very disappointed about what happened. We'll do everything we can do assist J.R. I hate, and he hates, that it's come to this. So we'll do everything we can to help him."