Kansas University men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced Friday afternoon that sophomore forward Darrell Arthur, who in late June secured a spot on the USA U19 national squad, will be out for 4-6 weeks after MRI results revealed a stress fracture in his left leg.

Arthur has been playing with the U19 team in exhibition tilts and the Global Games since making the final 12-man roster, but will not be able to travel to Novi Sad, Serbia, with the team, scheduled to play in the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championships July 12-22.

The MRI came after Arthur expressed pain in the leg after workouts on Tuesday.

“I thought it was just tendonitis or something and I would be able to play through it,” Arthur said. “The trainer told me to see the doctor and after some tests he confirmed it was a stress fracture and I would be out a month or two. When I heard it was a stress fracture, I was surprised.

“I was pretty upset when I first heard,” Arthur added. “I really wanted to travel with this team. I have never been overseas, and I put in some good work to be a part of this team. I’m glad it wasn’t a more serious injury and I should be fine with treatment. I wish this team all the best in bringing home the gold in Serbia.”

Arthur will return from his hometown of Dallas to Lawrence for rehabilitation. The sophomore forward averaged 9.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in his freshman campaign, and is the second Jayhawk to suffer from injury since the start of summer. Junior Brandon Rush is recovering from a torn ACL suffered while preparing for the 2007 NBA Draft, later pulling his name from the draft pool and returning to Lawrence.

“I am disappointed for Shady,” Self said. “He did very well in Dallas and was expected to play well in Serbia representing our country. If this had to happen, it was good it happened now because we expect a complete recovery and for him to be at full speed before the start of school.”

Check back at KUSports.com for more details on this story as they come.