Kansas freshman Billy Preston was suspended for the season opener Friday night against Tennessee State for a violation of team rules, KU announced before the game.
Preston, a 6-foot-10 forward, missed curfew on Thursday night and also did not attend class Friday, according to a release on KU basketball’s official Twitter account. That left KU with only seven scholarship players available — and nine overall — for its first game.
Preston, a McDonald’s All-American and five-star recruit, averaged 11 points and 3.7 rebounds in the Jayhawks’ three exhibition games.
Guard Malik Newman did not start for KU because of a coach’s decision.