Kansas University junior forward Mario Little has been cleared to start practicing on a limited basis, KU coach Bill Self said Thursday.

Little, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound transfer from Chipola (Fla.) Community College, has yet to play in a game this season because of a stress fracture in his lower left leg.

X-rays taken on Thursday “looked good,” according to Self, allowing for Little’s return to the court for practice on Friday.

“We’ll monitor his progress as we go to see how he’s doing. Really he’s not done much at all since Canada,” Self said, referring to KU’s Labor Day weekend trip to Ottawa.

“We’ll start slow and gradually build up. He’ll be limited in certain drills, maybe do some non-contact stuff early on. We’ll bring him along like we did Brandon,” he added, referring to former KU player Brandon Rush’s early workouts after coming back from ACL surgery.

“Hopefully, depending on how he responds to pounding, he’ll be able to play (in a game) in a couple weeks. That’s the best-case scenario, to play in a couple weeks,” Self added.

The Jayhawks, who pounded New Mexico State, 100-79, on Wednesday night, were awarded a day off from practice Thursday. They’ll resume action against Jackson State at 1 p.m. Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse.