By Kevin Haskin
The Capital-Journal
Published Tuesday, February 20, 2007
MANHATTAN — Former Kansas guard J.R. Giddens has been suspended indefinitely from the New Mexico basketball team. The 6-foot-5 junior guard was thrown out of practice Friday by Lobos coach Ritchie McKay, who suspended Giddens before Saturday's game against TCU.
McKay was uncertain whether Giddens, a 16-point scorer, will be reinstated this season.
"He did nothing illegal, nothing unethical. This program tries to promote being a good teammate and I want to emphasize that,'' McKay said.
"It just came to a point where I felt like it was important not only to our team, but to J.R. and the rest of our basketball family that I make the decision. He is not going to practice or travel with us until he's off suspension."
Giddens' shot selection, as well as a recurring ankle injury, have been ongoing issues for the Lobos, who are 15-12 and tied for seventh in the nine-team Mountain West at 4-8.
In a statement, Giddens said McKay is "the leader of our team. He's the person of authority, and if he feels like this is what's best for me and the team right now, then I accept his decision.''
Recruited out of Oklahoma City by former KU coach Roy Williams, Giddens played two seasons for the Jayhawks under Bill Self.
The McDonald's All-American averaged 10.7 points over 63 games.
He left KU following a May 19, 2005, altercation at a Lawrence tavern, in which Giddens was stabbed in the calf. Giddens pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from the bar fight, and was ordered to one-year probation and a two-day anger-management class.