My man’s going through it right now.
First, the news:
Per Sean Miller:
Xavier forward Jerome Hunter tore his Achilles in practice on Monday. He will undergo surgery, potentially as soon as this week.
Hunter had recently been cleared to return to practice after his cardiac episode in June of 2023.
— Paul Fritschner (@PaulFritschner) February 6, 2024
I mean, not much to say here. Jerome Hunter has been such a big part of the program since coming over from Indiana that it’s heartbreaking to see him suffer another setback. He has adopted a wildly different role under Sean Miller than he had been recruited to play under Travis Steele, and he attacked it without complaint. First through a medical problem that sidelined him in the summer and now through this, he has kept an outwardly positive attitude under trying circumstances.
According to a Google search I just conducted, a 2022 study published in the Current Review of Musculoskeletal Medicine puts the recovery from an Achilles tendon rupture at 6-9 months for full activity and 2-3 years for return to full baseline capabilities. Jerome has access to training facilities and medical experts that will no doubt help him have an above-average outcome, and his demonstrated resilience with also help him.
Xavier is lined up to have a big season next year, and Jerome is a big part of that. An aggressive timeline puts him back in team activities in time for the preseason. The young man deserves a stretch with no setbacks; we look forward to seeing him back on the court next season.