Duke basketball big man Maliq Brown has the potential to be the best defender in all of college basketball this season, but his health continues to be a major question mark as the preseason has moved along. Blue Devils' head coach Jon Scheyer has now provided a key update on the forward that Duke fans need to hear. Last season, Brown missed significant time throughout the second half of the campaign due to dislocating his shoulder twice. Frontcourt depth is one of the biggest question marks for the Blue Devils heading into the season, and having who is likely Duke's best defender healthy will be a major point of emphasis before the 2025-26 season kicks off.
Jon Scheyer provides critical injury update on Maliq Brown.
In a recent media presence, Scheyer provided key insight into the health of Brown.
"Maliq, his shoulder is doing great," Scheyer said. "He had to get a minor procedure done last week. He had to get a scope on his knee. So he'll be out for a couple of weeks here. But he'll be back very soon. And we'd rather be cautious with him and make sure we're getting him to 100%. Obviously, he's a key guy for us. So getting him out there will be a different thing for our team. His experience, his versatility, we're just different without him. So shoulder is great. Got to get that taken care of with him."
The knee scope for the forward is a bit of a worry, but the main concern is how Brown's shoulder is healing, as that was the injury that hindered him through the back half of last season.
The senior rarely looks for his own offense, but it's his defensive versatility and length that make him an integral part of the Blue Devils' rotation. Brown only averaged 2.5 points and 3.7 rebounds a game last year, but his elite hands and ability to guard the one through five on the court make him an immediate spark plug coming off the bench. Scheyer prides his squad on defensive length and versatility, and that's exactly;y what the 6'9" forward brings to the table.