Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Duke Blue Devils center Marshall Plumlee keeps getting shot in the foot.
Plumlee, 20, was expected to make significant contributions for the Blue Devils in the 2013-14 because of the team’s lack of depth in the post, but will miss 3-4 months follow surgery on his left foot. He missed nine games last season with a stress fracture in that same foot.
When trying to develop freshmen into daily contributors, the offseason is a crucial time to refine skills and drive home schemes. Marshall will miss all of that time, which will directly affect what he is capable of adding on the floor for Duke.
This will be the first time since the 2008-09 season that a Plumlee brother – Miles Plumlee (’08-12) and Mason Plumlee (’09-13) — won’t be in the lineup to start the season for the Blue Devils.
“Marshall was having a very good preseason before suffering the injury last year,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. “The injury set him back, but we expect him to make a full recovery and be a key contributor for us next season.”
Marshall will be called upon immediately after his recovery to provide support for a shallow Duke frontcourt. Josh Hairston and Amile Jefferson have the most experience, though neither contributed significant minutes last season. Freshman recruit Jabari Parker will obviously play consistent minutes, as he is predicted to be a one-and-done player who bolts for the NBA after his freshman season.
John Engel is a Pac-12 college basketball writer for Rant Sports and also works for ESPNLA 710 AM radio in Los Angeles. Follow John on Twitter: @engelsportsguy.
