LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky received the news it dreaded yesterday when freshman forward Nerlens Noel was declared out for the season with a torn ligament in his left knee.
Noel tore his ACL on Tuesday when No. 25 Kentucky lost at Florida. An MRI exam revealed the injury, and the 6-foot-10 forward will have surgery in the coming weeks.
The projected recovery period is six to eight months.
Noel’s injury deals a serious postseason blow for the defending national champions. Leading the way defensively for the Wildcats was Noel, ranked first in the nation with 4.5 blocks per game before last night’s games.
The rookie took a positive approach to the diagnosis, posting on Twitter, “Minor setback for a MAJOR comeback! I love you all and can’t thank y’all enough for the prayers.”
Noel was hurt with 8 minutes left in the Wildcats’ 69-52 loss to the seventh-ranked Gators. He ran into the basket support after blocking a layup from behind. Noel landed awkwardly, dropped to the floor and started screaming while clutching his knee.
“I met with Nerlens earlier today. The meeting was really positive, and I loved his attitude,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said in a statement. “The way he is already dealing with this injury lets me know that he is going to come back stronger than ever.”— AP