Isabel Gonzalez
@cisabelg
JaQuan Lyle was seen wearing a boot on Saturday as the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team walked on the field during the UNM homecoming football game. The Lobo Lair tweeted a screenshot of a video that showed Lyle’s boot but no official details had come out yet. The program released an official update on Sunday, and it was not what Lobo fans wanted to hear.
Lyle got injured during a practice earlier on Saturday, a ruptured Achilles tendon. He is scheduled for surgery this coming week, but according to the release, the anticipated recovery time is six months.
The 6-foot-5 point guard transferred to UNM last season but had to sit out due to NCAA transfer rules. Official practice for the Lobos’ 2018-19 season started on Friday, a day before he got hurt. He was expected to be an important piece of the Lobo roster, as he appeared in a few preseason watch lists. During his two years at Ohio State, Lyle averaged 11.3 points, 4.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game.
The wait wasn’t easy but it was finally time for Lyle to get on the court. Just a couple days ago, he tweeted a picture of himself showing he was ready to play. When the news of the injury broke out, support began pouring in for Lyle. This included a tweet from teammate Karim Ezzeddine saying that this season was going to be for him.
Head coach Paul Weir sent a statement through the press release.
“JaQuan has meant so much to our program in the short time he has been here,” he said. “Unfortunately this injury postpones his return to playing the game he loves. But his spirits have already turned incredibly positive and we look forward to supporting him in every way possible.”
Ready for my guys to have a very exciting season. Imma be with you guys every step of the way…this process is gonna be easier with the best family, teammates, coaches, and fan base supporting me..but most importantly with the man above , God. 🤞🏾🙏🏾
— JaQuan Lyle (@_jlyle13) October 1, 2018
COMMENTS