Tennessee basketball was without starting power forward JP Estrella in its 89-66 win against Oklahoma Wednesday night. Left foot soreness sidelined Estrella, marking the first time this season that the injury has caused him to miss a game.
Eleventh-year Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes provided an injury update on Estrella following the game
“I know, based on what Chad told me, the x-rays and all that didn’t show anything,” Barnes said postgame. “But he’s got some soreness there. He knows his body better than anybody. It’ll be based on what he feels, but we knew we were going to hold him tonight.”
Estrella played 28 minutes against LSU last Saturday, totaling 16 points and nine rebounds before missing most of Tuesday’s practice open to the media. That made it unclear when Estrella suffered the injury. Barnes expressed frustration with that point postgame.
“I am upset with him,” Barnes said. “We tell those guys we don’t care if it is a little sore. I think it had been sore and he didn’t tell anybody because I think he wants to play so badly. It was probably there before he let Chad know it. So you’d have to ask him exactly, but I think it was sore before he let us know it because he wants to really help this team and his teammates. But he can’t do that. He has had that problem with that foot. That is something that you can’t mess around with.”
Injuries have been a big part of Estrella’s career to this point. He missed a game a piece with a knee and ankle injury earlier this season. Estrella also missed almost the entirety of the 2024-25 season after undergoing foot surgery in early December.
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“I don’t think there’s any question it is a concern for him,” Barnes said. “Feet problems are hard to get right. But based on where the screw was placed and all that — and again I probably shouldn’t be talking about it because Chad knows it. But I don’t think that is a problem where the surgery itself (happened). It’s just some soreness set in and we just have to get it quieting down.”
The 6-foot-11 power forward is averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season. His role has seriously increased over the last month after Rick Barnes inserted him into the starting lineup against Alabama.
Estrella has steadily improved with the bigger role and is averaging 11.7 points and seven rebounds in the seven games since moving into the starting lineup.
Tennessee is back in action on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Nashville to face instate rival Vanderbilt. Tipoff between the Vols and Sooners is at 2 p.m. ET. ESPN is broadcasting the game.
