Brandon Rush, who recently injured his right knee playing basketball, has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft and will return to Kansas University for his junior season, Jayhawks coach Bill Self announced Friday.

“People will think the reason I am returning is because I injured my knee playing in a pickup game,” Rush said. “That is not true, but it did reinforce to me that the time was not right to go to the NBA.”

Rush informed his coach of his decision in a Friday meeting.

“It has never been my goal that Brandon return,” Self said. “It has always been my goal that Brandon make the best decision for his future. … My immediate concern is that Brandon has the knee evaluated and begins any rehabilitation that is required.”

Rush had until June 18 to withdraw from the June 28 NBA draft. The knee injury would have kept him from participating in an NBA evaluation camp next week in Orlando.

Self said the severity of the injury would not be known until more medical tests are performed early next week.

Rush was asked specifically if rumors of his having a torn ACL were true.

“I don’t think so,” he said, holding a bag of ice. “I think it’s more like a sprain. They (doctors) still have to look at it (in coming days).”

Classmate Julian Wright, projected to be selected somewhere in the first half of the first round, already has hired an agent and is not eligible to withdraw. By not hiring an agent, Rush left himself an out.