Sherron Collins, wearing a white practice jersey, slowly walked into the Kansas locker room after the Jayhawks’ first practice of the season Thursday night.

It might have looked like the junior guard just practiced with his teammates, but he hadn’t. And the problem wasn’t his knee. Collins spent the last four months recovering from surgery, but doctors declared his knee healthy enough to play three weeks ago.

But Collins didn’t condition well enough during the recovery and was in poor shape. Kansas coach Bill Self said it was bad enough that he couldn’t practice.

“He’s a month behind where I thought he’d be at this stage,” Self said.

Add another chapter to the well-publicized battle Collins has faced keeping his weight down. Self said he didn’t know how much Collins weighed at the moment, but it wasn’t his ideal playing size of 195 pounds.

Fans expect Collins, who is the only returning player who averaged more than 10 minutes per game last season, to be the leader of the defending national champions.

But Self has his doubts. He said Collins didn’t make a good first impression on his coaches or teammates by having to sit out of practice. Self doesn’t know if Collins can be the leader.

“I’d like for him to become that, but based on him not reporting back in shape doesn’t go very far in him becoming that with me,” Self said. “That’s how I see it.”

Collins spent the two hours and twenty minutes of practice with trainers to help speed up the process of getting him back in shape. Self said he didn’t think Collins would be ready for at least another week.

Self, however, wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Collins playing in the Jayhawks’ three exhibition games next weekend in Canada. Kansas will play against McGill University, Carleton University and the University of Ottawa in Ottawa on Aug. 30 and Aug. 31.

Self said Collins simply “didn’t live up to his end of the bargain,” during the summer. He’s deferring the decision of whether or not he’ll play in Canada to the team’s medical staff.

“I’m not going to put him out there until the doctors tell me, ‘Hey he’s in the condition he needs to be to go play,’” Self said.

SO WHO CAN BE THE LEADER?

Behind Collins, the Jayhawks are noticeably short of players with significant college basketball experience.

He’s the team’s leading returning scorer with 9.3 points per game last season and the only player who has started a game for Kansas. If Collins truly won’t be the leader of the team, Kansas might lack anyone who can be. Right? Not the way Self sees it.

Self said he knew exactly who the rest of the Jayhawks could look up to — sophomore center Cole Aldrich.

“Cole, right now, I’d say would lead our team hands down,” Self said. “He would be the guy.”

Aldrich averaged eight minutes, three points and three rebounds per game last season. Aldrich saved his best game for the Final Four contest against North Carolina where he guarded national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough, grabbed seven rebounds and recorded four blocks.

EXTRA RUNNING

Aldrich gasped for breath as he walked toward the locker room. Sophomore guard Tyrel Reed put his head down toward his sweat-soaked shirt and junior guard Tyrone Appleton limped toward the door.

Kansas looked like they’d just completed a marathon – not a basketball practice. Self said the exhaustion came from 20 minutes of running he added to the end of practice.

“We had a couple of reasons to maybe do some extra conditioning at the end of our workout,” Self said. “They’re probably not too happy with me right now.”

SELF ADDRESSES MARKIEFF MORRIS SITUATION

Self didn’t want to discuss the recent report filed against freshman forward Markieff Morris, but did say he would handle the matter at the appropriate time.

“I think there’s probably more to the story than what was on the original report, no question,” Self said. “He’ll be punished.”

Morris received an order to appear in court last weekend after he allegedly shot a woman with an Airsoft rifle at the Jayhawk Towers. His court date is set for Sept. 10.

ELIGIBILITY CONCERNS

Another day passed without any news of the Morris twins, Marcus and Markieff, qualifying to play next season.

The twins can’t attend classes or practice with the team until the NCAA rules them academically eligible.

“Missing today did not kill the twins, and it won’t kill them if they miss more days,” Self said. “But certainly for the betterment of our team, they need to be out here.”

Fellow freshman guard Travis Releford did practice Thursday after a minor eligibility scare. The NCAA hadn’t cleared Releford until Thursday because a piece of paperwork was missing.

— — Edited by Adam Mowder