Yesterday, Indiana released a statement updating the status of O.G. Anunoby, their star forward and a potential lottery pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
He was out indefinitely with a knee injury.
On Friday, Indiana’s worst fears were confirmed.
“It has been determined that O.G. Anunoby will undergo surgery on his right knee and will miss the remainder of the season,” head coach Tom Crean said in a statement. “He is expected to make a complete recovery. For a young man, O.G. has a very strong faith and a courageous spirit. We are going to do everything as a basketball family to help him recover and rehabilitate from this unfortunate situation.”
The diagnosis isn’t surprising. Anunoby suffered a non-contact knee injury when he came to a jump-stop, the kind of play that always seems to result in a torn ACL. The loss is a major one for an Indiana team that is already struggling to defend. Anunoby is one of the best and most versatile defenders in college basketball, and it’s a hole the 13-6 Hoosiers, who are already 3-3 in the Big Ten, may not be able to fill.