Rehab going well for Arkansas' Trevon Brazile
Arkansas basketball was bit by the injury bug for basically all of the 2022-23 season, and the most impactful setback came when sophomore forward Trevon Brazile tore his ACL on Dec. 6 against UNC Greensboro.
The injury brought an end to the Missouri transfer's season just as he was started to skyrocket up draft boards. Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said he thought Brazile was the best stretch-four forward in basketball before the injury occurred.
"If he would have stayed healthy, I think he would have been in the green room, to be honest with you," Musselman said Monday. "It was a devastating injury for him and our team. Certainly, he's got an incredible future ahead of him."
Brazile has been working hard to get back to where he was, and Musselman said the rehab process is going great ahead of Brazile's redshirt sophomore season.
"I don't like to use the term 'way ahead of schedule' because with us, the schedule is going to stay the same no matter what," Musselman said. "The strength, the testing, he's in a great spot, but we're not going to rush him back. We're going to get him ready to play in November, and that's all we're focused on."
Brazile was Arkansas’ leader in rebounds and blocked shots, and he ranked third on the team in scoring and free throws attempted before his injury. He was the Hogs’ first player off the bench in all nine games and ranked fourth in minutes played (29.3).
The 6-foot-10, 220 pound forward out of Springfield, Missouri, averaged 11.8 points 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots per game. Brazile had just scored a career-high 23 points in a win over San Jose State. He had four games with at least 17 points and he was averaging a double-double through the first three games.
On average, the recovery time for a torn ACL is six-to-nine months. That would mean Brazile should be ready to go by the time the season starts in November. According to Musselman, Brazile is already running the mile good enough to pass the team minimum time.
"I will tell you, he did run the mile with our team, and he beat some guys," Musselman said. "He made his time the very first time he ran the mile. I think if a head coach is telling you that he ran the mile and beat some players and made his time the first time, that's a really good sign."
Musselman later added via Twitter that Brazile's mile time was a 5:53 pace.
After having three freshmen — Anthony Black, Nick Smith Jr. and Jordan Walsh — selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, Musselman is hoping for much of the same in 2024. The Head Hog attended the draft and sat in the green room with Black and Smith, and he seemed confident he will be in the same spot next year.
"Words can't describe the parties that happened after the draft and leading up to the draft the anticipation, the nervousness of families and staff members," Musselman said. "It's really cool, and yes, I hope to be back there next year. I hope we have another player sitting in the green room next year, and I don't have any doubt that we will."