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Amile Jefferson Officially Ruled Out for the Rest of the Season

By Chris Brown

Feb 6, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Amile Jefferson (21) continues to wear a brace on his leg recuperating from an injury while joining the team on the bench in the first half of their game against the North Carolina State Wolfpackat Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Amile Jefferson (21) continues to wear a brace on his leg recuperating from an injury while joining the team on the bench in the first half of their game against the North Carolina State Wolfpackat Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports /
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Duke senior captain Amile Jefferson will miss the rest of the season after foot fracture, plans to seek medical redshirt.

The Duke Men’s Basketball program officially announced today that senior forward Amile Jefferson will not return for the remainder of this season. Jefferson suffered a foot injury in December that will sideline him for the rest of the year and plans to seek a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA to be eligible to return next season.

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Before his injury, Amile Jefferson played a key role for the Blue Devils and was one of the few players in the nation averaging a double-double per game with 11.4 points and 10.3 rebounds. He fractured his foot in practice on December 12th and after switching back and forth between using a walking boot and crutches throughout this semester the team doctors finally determined his foot won’t be able to heal properly for him to return this season.

If Jefferson is approved for a medical redshirt, he will earn one more year of NCAA eligibility for the 2016-17 season. The 6-9 forward could return to play for Coach K one more season and be a key contributor and leader on a very talented and deep Duke team that will bring in one of the top freshman classes in the country. He would also be a great influence for incoming PF Harry Giles, who was ranked as the #1 high school recruit in the country and will also be coming back from an injury next year after tearing his ACL and missing most his senior season.

Although many Duke fans were hoping Jefferson would be able to make a return heading into the postseason, it looks like the Blue Devils will have to continue without him heading into the ACC and NCAA Men’s Basketball tournaments. Marshall Plumlee has dominated in few several games this season and Chase Jeter has also provided key minutes lately, and both will be relied on heavily along with star freshman Brandon Ingram to control the paint for Duke the rest of the year.

Duke will take on North Carolina for their final game of the regular season this evening on what would have been Amile Jefferson’s Senior Night, but hopefully now the forward will be back next year playing with the team as his foot heals over the offseason.

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