Duke basketball star sidelined again with unavoidable injury

A former Duke basketball standout is sidelined again with an injury. 

Injuries have derailed the young career of former Duke basketball standout Wendell Carter Jr., and the 6-foot-10 forward is sidelined once again.

The Chicago Bulls (7-10) announced that their former first-round pick will be re-evaluated in four weeks after suffering a severe right quad contusion on January 20 in practice after colliding with Denzel Valentine during 5-on-5 drills.

Carter Jr. has dealt with injuries in each of his three seasons in the NBA, failing to play more than 44 games in either of his first two campaigns.

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In those two seasons, thumb, abdomen, and ankle injuries were the reason why the former Blue Devil was never able to get consistent playing time, but the Atlanta, Georgia native was in the midst of his best season yet.

Wendell Carter Jr. started all of the 14 games he has played in this season and was averaging a career-high 12.8 points per game in addition to 8.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game on 53.3-percent shooting from the field.

In fact, Carter Jr. has started in every game he has played for the Bulls since his rookie season.

Duke basketball star speaks out regarding latest injury

After an MRI revealed the full severity of his injury, Wendell Carter Jr. released a statement to Bulls fans via his Instagram story:

Entering the 2020-21 season, Carter Jr. knew he needed to put forth a breakout year to prove that he is not a ‘bust’ and was worthy of the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

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Given the timetable that Chicago has provided, it’s possible that Wendell Carter Jr. does not play for the remainder of the first half in the NBA’s schedule as the Bulls’ slate of games concludes on March 3, approximately five weeks away.

The Chicago Bulls will look to snap a two-game losing streak as the team returns to the court on Saturday, January 30 against the Portland Trail Blazers (9-7).