The Syracuse basketball program is dealing with its first injury of the 2015-16 academic year, and it’s head coach Jim Boeheim’s eventual replacement who’s currently at less than full strength.
Assistant and head coach in-waiting Mike Hopkins suffered a neck injury while body surfing in California, as first reported by Mike Waters of the Syracuse Post-Standard. Hopkins, who played collegiately at Syracuse and has been a member of Boeheim’s staff since 1995, was on vacation visiting family when the injury occurred.
The good news in all of this is that while Hopkins is wearing a neck brace, the injury was not deemed to be severe in nature.
While Hopkins must wear the brace, the neck injury is not severe. Hopkins has been overseeing workouts with Syracuse players at the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center. He has also been on the road recruiting this past week, including a trip to New Jersey.
Hopkins, who was officially named Boeheim’s successor in late June, will take over as head coach in 2018.