Leslie McDonald injured

[jimsumner]

From UNC press release

"Junior Leslie McDonald tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Thursday night while playing in the Greater NC Pro-Am summer league at NC Central in Durham.

The junior from Memphis, Tenn. will be out indefinitely. Surgery has not been scheduled at this time.

McDonald was second on the team last year with 51 three-point field goals and averaged 7.0 points per game.

He led the team in three-point shooting at 38.1 percent. He scored a career-high 17 points against Long Beach State, one of 10 games last year in which he scored in double figures.

"I just hate this for Leslie and his family," says head coach Roy Williams."He's worked so hard this off-season and he told me he was really playing well."

[ArkieDukie]

What a tough break for him. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Hate for anyone to get injured, even carolina guys (or women). Best wishes for a full recovery Leslie.

[Kedsy]

A real shame. Hope he comes back strong (but of course not too strong, him being a Heel and all).

[Bob Green]

Here's wishing McDonald a speedy and full recovery. I absolutely hate it when an athlete is injured.

[MarkD83]

What is the recovery time for this sort of injury? My rule of thumb used to be out indefinitely for a knee injury was a year.

[OldPhiKap]

Sorry to hear this, I hope he has a full recovery in the fullness of time.

[uh_no]

What is the recovery time for this sort of injury? My rule of thumb used to be out indefinitely for a knee injury was a year.

I think 6 -8 mos is standard. Either way, there is a very good chance that he'll be back by the end of the year.

Wonder if they've started a "Leslie's Knee Vigil" over at IC yet

[DevilWearsPrada]

Here's wishing McDonald a speedy and full recovery. I absolutely hate it when an athlete is injured.

I totally agree with you. I just saw on News 14, the interview with Leslie, and his hopes of having a great season. The interview was before he was injured. News reported that surgery has not been scheduled yet. The best to Leslie on his recovery and keeping his spirits high and staying positive.

[gumbomoop]

I think 6 -8 mos is standard. Either way, there is a very good chance that he'll be back by the end of the year.

Hope he has a full recovery, and no reason to think he won't. It's a tough thing, yes, but the Heels are obviously depth-loaded on the wings.

Moreover, while it stinks for LM for this season, he's consistently been, IMO. a redshirt candidate. Not because he's "no good," but simply because he's never been at the top of the wing depth chart.

True, he's now a veteran, and maybe this would have been his year to shine, but unless he's made major improvement, he'd still be fighting for mpg. He'll really be a veteran next season, and presumably HB will be gone.

I do realize that, should the Heels just absolutely dominate this season, it would sure be tempting for LM to return late season, in hopes of being part of a NC.

[JasonEvans]

Like all of you, I wish Leslie the best in his recovery. I torn my ACL a few years back. It is a nasty injury but one from which you can make a full recovery (I think 6 months is about the minimum, but I ain't a doctor).

To turn this discussion to hoops for a moment -- if Carolina had to have an injury to a key player, this is the position at which they could most afford it. Their team is built around their big men (Barnes, Henson, Zeller, McAdoo) and has a bunch of somewhat interchangeable parts at the SG. While I am guessing McDonald's 3 pt shooting would have made him the starter, they still have Reggie Bullock, Dexter Strickland, and highly touted freshman PJ Hairston at that same position. If anything, this may allow Hairston to get more time and develop a bit more.

-Jason "again, best to McDonald on his recovery" Evans

[Olympic Fan]

News reported that surgery has not been scheduled yet.

This is pretty normal in ACL cases. Usually there is swelling and perhaps other damage and they have to wait for the surrounding tissues to deflate before operating.

They've made a lot of progress with ACL surgery in recent years. As recently as the mid-1990s, the recovery time was a year and full recovery was rare. Now, that six month timeline is more common and recovery is often close to 100 percent.

Six months from now is mid-January. He has two more years to play. It will be interesting to see if McDonald can make it back for the last month or so of the season or if he elects to take a redshirt year and come back strong for 2012-13.

Never like to see anybody hurt. But I agree that if UNC had to lose a player, this is the position they can most afford it. If it were Marshall ...

[jimsumner]

This is pretty normal in ACL cases. Usually there is swelling and perhaps other damage and they have to wait for the surrounding tissues to deflate before operating.

They've made a lot of progress with ACL surgery in recent years. As recently as the mid-1990s, the recovery time was a year and full recovery was rare. Now, that six month timeline is more common and recovery is often close to 100 percent.

Six months from now is mid-January. He has two more years to play. It will be interesting to see if McDonald can make it back for the last month or so of the season or if he elects to take a redshirt year and come back strong for 2012-13.

Never like to see anybody hurt. But I agree that if UNC had to lose a player, this is the position they can most afford it. If it were Marshall ...

If it's January, I would think a redshirt is on order. He's not an early-entry risk, Carolina has depth at his spot and a fifth-year in 2014 would seem to trump a half-season in 2012.

McDonald has always seemed like a good kid and this is a shame for anyone. But so much progress has been made in this surgery in recent years, that McDonald should be able to look forward to a full recovery.

[MChambers]

My sympathies to McDonald. Tough break. I'm glad to hear they've improve ACL surgery and recovery so remarkably, but I still think it would be tough for him to come back next year. Hope I'm wrong and that he's back at full speed as soon as possible.

Although Carolina did have an excess of wing players, McDonald was one of the quicker perimeter players, after Strickland. I expect his loss to hurt them on the defensive end.

[roywhite]

My sympathies to McDonald. Tough break. I'm glad to hear they've improve ACL surgery and recovery so remarkably, but I still think it would be tough for him to come back next year. Hope I'm wrong and that he's back at full speed as soon as possible.

Although Carolina did have an excess of wing players, McDonald was one of the quicker perimeter players, after Strickland. I expect his loss to hurt them on the defensive end.

Agreed on those points. Good luck to McDonald as he works to re-hab; my guess is he will take a redshirt year.

He will be missed somewhat in the UNC backcourt. I see an advantage for Duke going head to head with UNC in the number of shooters we can use against a perimeter defense which will not be their strong point. Some other advantages go to UNC, but Duke is very capable of beating the Heels IMO.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I think 6 -8 mos is standard. Either way, there is a very good chance that he'll be back by the end of the year.
But will Roy risk playing him?!! :rolleyes:

[Devilsfan]

The good news is that he is a student athlete and now he can put his full attention toward academics. He probably wasn't going to be a star NBA player and now he can make sure he is prepared for the real world like 20,000+ other students in chapel hill.
Thank goodness unc has high academic standards and Leslie will have a future after college if he applies himself.

[UrinalCake]

Tough break for the Heels. I think his three-point shooting will be missed, as outside shooting has been a real weakness for them the last couple years. Bullock never developed into the consistent shooter they thought he'd be, and Marshall's shot improved but his role is more of a facilitator. Barnes is their money guy at crunch time but does not shoot a high percentage overall. Of course all of this could change next year, plus they've got Hairston coming in.

[Bob Green]

Bullock never developed into the consistent shooter they thought he'd be...

I believe it is important to remember Bullock played hurt his entire freshman season. It's tough to be a consistent jump shooter while playing on a bum knee.