JP Estrella Injury Update
Tennessee forward JP Estrella avoided a major injury after leaving Monday’s win over Rice. The 6-foot-11 redshirt sophomore suffered a bone bruise to his left knee late in the first half of the Vols' 91-66 victory, exiting with 1:26 remaining after bending to grab a loose ball. Vol Report (@AllVolReport) shared on X that Tennessee’s JP Estrella has reportedly avoided a major injury and is believed to have suffered only a bone bruise.
A Rice player pushed his left leg back, causing him to grab his knee in pain and limp off with assistance from trainer Chad Newman and strength coach Garrett Medenwald. He headed straight to the locker room, returned to the bench in the second half with a towel around his head and an ice pack on his knee, but did not play further.
Paige Dauer (@PaigeDauerFDP) shared on X that #Vols Felix Okpara expressed support for JP Estrella after he exited the game with a left leg injury, saying, "Man, JP has been terrific. It's just sad to see, you know, that happen... We're cheering him on."
Coach Rick Barnes described it post-game as a left leg injury, noting, "It looked like when that play happened, the guy went between his legs and it looked like... maybe he hyperextended it." Multiple sources confirmed the bone bruise on Wednesday, ruling out a season-ending issue, though no firm return timeline exists. Estrella, averaging 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists through three games with double-doubles in two, had four points and one rebound in nine minutes before the injury.
He missed Wednesday's practice ahead of Thursday's matchup with Tennessee State, spending most of the session on a stationary bike without a sleeve or brace on his knee. Teammate Felix Okpara said, "J.P. has been terrific. It is just sad to see that happen.
We are there with him." Barnes praised Estrella's recent focus: "His mindset has changed. He’s gotten so much better." This follows a stress fracture that limited him to three games last season. The Vols remain unbeaten at 4-0, but Estrella's status adds caution for the in-state rivalry.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available reports and statements at the time of publication. Injury status, recovery timelines, and official updates may change. For the latest details, always check with University of Tennessee athletics and credible news outlets covering Tennessee basketball injury news.
