Tennessee basketball will be without forward J.P. Estrella on the court this season.
The Vols’ sophomore big man announced on social media Monday morning that he is set to undergo season-ending surgery. Estrella is looking to address a left foot injury that has been lingering for months now.
“We feel badly for J.P. that he won’t be able to compete alongside his teammates this season,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said in a statement. “In addition to being a talented player, he is such a positive and energetic person. It is for that reason we know he will still make an impact, even if it’s not on the court. We’ll do all we can to aid J.P. throughout his rehabilitation and we are excited for what his future holds here at Tennessee.”
Estrella only played in the Vols’ first three games this season with limited minutes in contests against Gardner-Webb, Louisville, and Montana in early to mid-November. Estrella logged six total points in 11-minute showings against Gardner-Webb and Louisville and then played nine minutes in a blowout win against Montana. The final game of Estrella’s season saw him go 3-for-3 with two free throws for a season-high eight points.
In three games this season, Estrella averaged 4.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists.
Estrella penned a letter to the Tennessee fanbase with his reveal on Monday:
“I’ll attack my rehab process and be back better than ever next season,” Estrella wrote. “In the meantime, I can’t wait to see all of you at Food City Center and share a whole bunch of W’s with you. Go Vols.”
Estrella’s surgery is set to address a nagging left foot injury that the Vols’ sophomore had been dealing with since summer workouts. Estrella was limited in offseason work but the Tennessee staff began working up his production on the practice floor as the season drew closer.
While he did play in Tennessee’s first three games, Estrella was kept out of the Vols’ Nov. 17 contest against Austin Peay before not playing in either game from the Baha Mar Tournament last weekend in the Bahamas.
Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes tagged Estrella’s injury as “concerning” after the Austin Peay game and before Monday’s season-ending news.
“It is concerning,” Barnes said of Estrella’s injury on Nov. 17 after missing the Austin Peay game. “We know he wants to play. We know he has done everything he can do. I think the plan we had for him to start was the right plan. Again, they are day to day evaluating that to figure out now where do we go.”
More from RTI: Tennessee Basketball Notebook: What We Learned About The Vols In The Bahamas
Estrella plans to apply for a medical redshirt and almost certainly will receive it after playing in just three games this season.
The Scarborough, ME, native played in 25 games during his freshman season last year with the Vols. Estrella showed promise for the future late in the season but only averaged 1.6 PPG as a whole. With an average of 4.7 PPG in three games this season, Estrella was clearly projected to be more of an impact player and scorer for Rick Barnes’ group this season.
With Estrella moving to a permanent spot on the bench this season, look for Tennessee forward Cade Phillips to continue to see rotational minutes as Felix Okpara’s backup at the center position. Phillips has been one of the Vols’ impressive early-season players this year as he averages 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game this season.
Estrella will still have an impact from that bench spot, though, as the Vols’ sophomore big man has one of the biggest personalities on the team. While this certainly is a setback in his collegiate journey, Estrella has shown to be the type of player to be active and impactful as he motivates and encourages his teammates from his spot on the bench.
Estrella still found his way into the Baha Mar Championship celebration, too.
some harmless november fun pic.twitter.com/6u8ySBUs0j
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) November 23, 2024
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