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Duke in the NBA: Injury Overshadows Frank Jackson’s Debut

By Kevin Connelly

DURHAM, NC - FEBRUARY 28: Frank Jackson #15 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a play during their game against the Florida State Seminoles at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 28, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - FEBRUARY 28: Frank Jackson #15 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a play during their game against the Florida State Seminoles at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 28, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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It was supposed to be a long-awaited great sight in the Las Vegas Summer League for Pelicans and Duke fans as Frank Jackson was ready to make his professional debut.

Frank Jackson missed an entire season, but you would hardly know it if you watched the first quarter and a half of the New Orleans Pelicans Summer League game on Friday afternoon.

Jackson got the start at point guard for the Pelicans and in 12 minutes he scored 13 points, pulled down five rebounds, and dished out one assist. Jackson had that relentless fear and motor than brought Duke an ACC Championship in his only season in Durham.

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However, Jackson’s day would come to a screeching halt as Jackson drove into the lane and stepped on the foot of a Raptors player, causing Jackson to do down in a heap of pain.

Jackson had to be helped off the floor and immediately went into the locker room, putting no weight on his left foot.

The injury that made Jackson miss last season was a right foot fracture.

Will Guillory of NOLA.com reported that X-rays on Jackson’s foot came back negative and the injury was diagnosed as a left ankle sprain. Guillory also noted that Jackson’s ankle was swollen and he is considered day to day.

After the game, Kevin Hanson, the Head Coach of the Pelicans Summer League team said that Jackson will most likely not play in the Pelicans game Saturday against the Miami Heat Summer League team, but the team hopes Jackson could play on Monday against the Detroit Pistons Summer League team.

Luck has not been on the side of Jackson with injuries but when he was on the court in pain, it looked a lot worse than this initial diagnosis. Jackson was the best player on the floor for the Pelicans in the early going and hopefully, for him and the Pelicans fan base, he will be back out on the floor very soon.

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