photo by: AP Photo/John Bazemore

Mississippi State guard Shakeel Moore scores against Auburn during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference tournament Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn.

Updated 3:32 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9:

Kansas guard Shakeel Moore broke his foot and will be out for six to eight weeks, a KU athletics spokesperson confirmed on Monday afternoon.

The result is a second offseason loss that will deplete KU’s guard depth for the moment, albeit for a shorter time frame than sophomore Elmarko Jackson’s season-ending torn patellar tendon.

As of Monday, the Jayhawks were exactly eight weeks away from opening the season against Howard at Allen Fieldhouse on Nov. 4.

Before then, Moore could potentially have to sit out KU’s exhibition matchup with Washburn on Oct. 29, as well as the oft-reported, still-unannounced exhibition at Arkansas expected to occur around that time.

Moore, who previously played one season at NC State and three at Mississippi State, committed to join KU on June 5, just a day after Jackson suffered his injury in a camp scrimmage. As a junior, Moore earned a spot on the watchlist for national defensive player of the year honors; as a senior during the 2023-24 campaign, he averaged 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

Moore is expected to serve as a backup point guard behind Dajuan Harris Jr. In his absence due to injury, players like South Dakota State transfer and Lawrence native Zeke Mayo and recently added former Northern Illinois guard David Coit should get additional work handling the ball in practice.