Photo credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
UNC Basketball Product Suffers Yet Another Ill-Timed Injury
In this story:
UNC basketball alum Cam Johnson hasn't had much luck on the injury front in his first full season with the Brooklyn Nets.
Following a solid outing in the season opener, the 2017-19 Tar Heel missed the next seven games due to a calf strain. In early February, after stringing together four double-digit scoring performances in a row, Johnson was out of commission for five more contests while rehabbing a left abductor sprain.
Then, on Tuesday night, the 28-year-old forward, now in his fifth year as a pro since getting drafted No. 11 overall in 2019, sprained his right ankle after landing awkwardly on a 3-point attempt during the first half of the Nets' 112-107 home victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
And according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, after underdoing testing on Wednesday, Johnson is now a no-go for Thursday night's road game against the Detroit Pistons.
Entering Tuesday's bout, the full-time starter had scored 18 or more points in each of his past three appearances, including a combined 52 points in back-to-back home wins over the Atlanta Hawks last week.
Cam Johnson is averaging 13.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists through his 49 games this go-round. He's shooting 39.6 percent from downtown.
As for Brooklyn's other UNC basketball talent, backup center Day'Ron Sharpe sat out Tuesday night's game with a right wrist contusion. On Wednesday, though, the Nets (25-37), No. 11 in the Eastern Conference standings but not yet eliminated from postseason contention, upgraded the 22-year-old to questionable for Thursday night.
Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more updates on NBA Tar Heels and other UNC basketball news.