Injuries can be brutal in the world of college basketball and this was the case for Louisville star Kasean Pryor. He suffered an injury that could significantly affect the trajectory of the Cardinals’ season.
During Louisville’s game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Battle for Atlantic Championship on Nov. 29, Pryor collided with teammate Chucky Hepburn.
Hepburn fell backward into Pryor’s leg following contact with an Oklahoma defender during the second half.
Pryor immediately went down on the hardwood, visibly in pain as trainers assisted him on his way to the locker room. He was deemed out for the rest of the matchup, but returned to the Louisville bench in a wheelchair to support his team.
On Monday, coach Pat Kelsey confirmed that the worst has happened to Kasean Pryor, who will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season due to a torn ACL. He finishes the year with averages of 12 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks after seven contests.
“Obviously what we had feared about Kasean came true, came to fruition. That’s just kind of the nature of the beast, and that’s sports. That’s life,” head coach Pat Kelsey said in Monday’s press conference.
“It changes the complexion of our team, and obviously having a couple of other guys out … it’s some things that we have to adjust to quickly, because we have a very, very good, physical, tough, well-coached team in Ole Miss coming in tomorrow. So that’s one of the great things about sports and adversity. It’s a microcosm for life and our guys have an unbelievable mindset.”
Kasean Pryor reacts to season-ending injury
A long recovery process is in store for Kasean Pryor, who made a post on Instagram following the confirmation of his season coming to an abrupt conclusion.
“not the way I expected my senior year of basketball to end!” Pryor said in a subsequent post on Instagram. “God’s timing is always perfect and i know things happen for a reason! A minor setback for a major comeback! I could never quit!
“Card nation, i appreciate the love and support throughout this journey; it’s definitely felt! And to everyone who’s reached out to send their prayers and wishes, thank you! They mean a lot to me! The work doesn’t stop here! I’ll be cheering my guys on all season!”
This was Kasean Pryor’s first season as a Cardinal, having spent last year with the South Florida Bulls. That season saw him put up 13 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals, helping USF finish with a 25-8 record and make an appearance in the National Invitational Tournament.
With Pryor out, Louisville will need their players to progress through the season as they currently have a 5-2 record. Their next game will be at home, hosting No. 23 Ole Miss at the KFC Yum! Center on Dec. 3 at 9 p.m. ET.
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Edited by Akshay Saraswat