Kansas forward Xavier Henry backs off as center Cole Aldrich pulls a rebound away from Belmont forward Mitch Hedgepeth during the first half, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas University junior Cole Aldrich and freshman Xavier Henry aren’t yet ready to announce whether they’ll be in the NBA or back at KU next season, coach Bill Self said Tuesday at his season-ending news conference.

Both are projected as first-round picks.

It’s been assumed all season both are in their final seasons at KU.

Of Henry’s situation, Self said: “I’ll meet with X. I saw him briefly yesterday, didn’t really talk about much. I’ll meet with him and see what he and his family want me to do. I’m not going to do something they don’t want me to do. That’ll be a family decision. (There’s) no timetable I have whatsoever on them getting together and making a decision.

“I don’t think the decision has been made yet. I think there’s probably a way in which they’re leaning, but let’s wait and see what happens. I’ll support it either way.”

Of Henry’s NBA readiness, Self said: “There’s no question in my mind that he is definitely equipped and ready to be paid, no question.

“Now the question to the family is … is he ready to play and impact the NBA game? And I think that is one that I personally think he can do that. I do, but that’s something they need to decide as a group. You are talking about a situation if he does go where some people have him projected to go (lottery), we don’t know if that’s accurate or not, if he does go there, sometimes that is a pretty risky insurance policy to come back and risk injury and things like that. That is strictly a decision for him and his family and I’ll support whatever direction they go.”

Of Aldrich’s situation, Self said: “Cole and I visited yesterday. To me, with Cole it doesn’t have much to do with where people have him projected. We know he’s going to get drafted pretty high. It’s what would be best for his family.

“He’ll make a decision … it could be best for his family for Cole to come back, but I’ve said this all along, I’m not encouraging that at all. I think it’s something he has to feel totally comfortable with and he will. Give him a week or so to think about it. He’ll make a decision. He won’t let it hang in the balance so to speak wondering what he’s going to do. I think he’ll give himself some time to think about it, visit with his mother and father and probably have a decision sometime next week. My personal hunch is that he’s probably in his mind, for the first time, thinking about it. I don’t think he’s given much thought about it until now. I think his total focus was this year.”