Jon Scheyer, the coach of Duke, is “optimistic” that Maliq Brown, a dynamic forward, will make a full recovery from a shoulder injury this season.
After only playing 10 minutes in Monday’s victory over Virginia for the third-ranked Blue Devils, the 6-foot-9 junior sustained an injury. He seemed to injure his left arm reaching into a passing lane to deflect a ball, and had his arm in a sling thereafter.
Despite what he characterized as a dislocated shoulder, Scheyer said Thursday that medical imaging had revealed nothing surprising. On Saturday night, the Blue Devils (23-3, 15-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) will play Illinois of the Big Ten in Madison Square Garden in New York, outside of league play.
During a virtual conference with media, Scheyer stated, “We’re hopeful that we can get him back this season.” The most difficult aspect, in my opinion, is that it mostly concerns his stability, and at the moment, he is still rather sore. Therefore, we must observe how long that takes.
Brown won’t play “in the next week or so at minimum,” according to Scheyer, who also predicted that he will be sidelined for a few weeks. Duke’s regular season is down to five games.
Brown, a Syracuse transfer, only manages to average 2.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. His worth extends beyond his stats, though, as his versatility and ability to defend a variety of spots off the bench have been crucial to a defense that allows 90.9 points per 100 possessions, which ranks fourth nationally in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency ratings.
Brown has just made his comeback after missing four games due to a knee ailment.
Scheyer stated, “We need him back, fully healthy.”
