What was initially thought to be a minor injury is costing one of the Big Ten’s best players the rest of his season.
Maryland’s Justin Jackson will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season, the Terrapins announced Thursday.
UPDATE: Head coach Mark Turgeon shared today after practice that Justin Jackson will miss the remainder of the season with torn labrum in his right shoulder.
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) December 28, 2017
The 6-foot-7 forward was averaging 9.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game this season. The sophomore’s shooting percentages were down dramatically from 43.8 overall and 43.8 percent from 3-point range as a freshman to 36.6 percent and 25.0 percent, respectively, this year.
Jackson hasn’t played since Dec. 7, missing the Terps’ last three games with what coach Mark Turgeon described as shoulder soreness that wasn’t expected to sideline him for long.
Despite Jackson struggling to meet high expectations this season - he was a potential first-rounder in 2018 - the Terps will miss his production dearly in the Big Ten.
Jackson’s draft stock will undoubtedly be hugely affected by the injury and the absence for the second half of his sophomore season. It could complicate - or simplify - the decision about returning for his junior year.