J.P. Estrella is sidelined with a foot injury for Tennessee basketball, coach Rick Barnes said Monday.
Estrella’s timetable to return is unsettled as the Vols begin preseason practices for Barnes’ 10th season Tuesday.
“We have to make sure he is totally healthy before we bring him back because it is an area you can’t mess around with,” Barnes said at his annual golf outing in support of Emerald Youth Foundation. “It can turn into really a situation you don’t want it to. We are just going to make sure he is fully healthy before we get him back out there going full speed.”
The 6-foot-11, 241-pound Estrella played in 25 games and averaged 5.0 minutes per game as a freshman. Barnes said the timetable on Estrella’s return has changed because of the nature of the foot injury. He said decisions around Estrella’s return will be based on testing.
“It is going to be a situation where we know he is able to handle slowly but surely building to the load he needs to handle,” said Barnes.
Estrella averaged 1.6 points and 0.8 rebounds in his first season. He impressed against Purdue and 7-foot-4 All-American Zach Edey in UT’s season-ending loss in the Elite Eight. Estrella played a season-high 15 minutes against the Boilermakers, topping his previous high of 12 against Norfolk State on Jan. 2. He scored a season-high seven points twice, including against Florida on Jan. 16.
Estrella, who was a four-star recruit in the 2023 class, is Tennessee’s top returning post player. Veterans Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka transferred to Arkansas and Arizona, respectively, following last season. Sophomore Cade Phillips is the other returning post player.
Tennessee added Ohio State transfer Felix Okpara. The 6-11, 235-pound Okpara averaged 5.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 70 games in two seasons with the Buckeyes. He started 45 games and entrenched himself as the starting forward as a sophomore. He averaged 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds while blocking 82 shots.
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Tennessee returns six scholarship players and added five, including four via the transfer portal. The Vols host Indiana in a charity exhibition on Oct. 27 at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. UT begins the regular season against Gardner-Webb at home on Nov. 4.
“We’ve just got to have the focus we’ve had up to this point but we’ve got to continue to get better in all areas,” Barnes said. “There is nothing where we feel like we are ready to go play right now. It has been a fun group. We just have to keep getting them better.”
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
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Publish date : 2024-09-22 13:01:00
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