Kendrick Nunn Injury: Updates on Illinois Guard's Thumb and Return

The University of Illinois men's basketball team has experienced a rash of injuries leading up to the 2015-16 season, and junior guard Kendrick Nunn is the latest to land on the shelf.  

Continue for updates.

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Report: Nunn Out 8 Weeks with Thumb Injury

Tuesday, Oct. 20

According to Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com, the Fighting Illini will be without their third-leading scorer from last season when the 2015-16 campaign commences, as Nunn is expected to miss eight weeks with a thumb ailment that will require surgery.

The Chicago native suffered the injury during practice last week, and head coach John Groce characterized it as a "freakish accident," per Marcus Jackson of the News-Gazette.

There is never a good time to lose a player of Nunn's caliber since he averaged 11.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game as a sophomore last season. The loss looms even larger considering Illinois' team-wide injury issues as of late, though.

According to Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, Illinois is already without guard Tracy Abrams for the season due to an Achilles injury, forward Leron Black for four to six weeks with a knee ailment, guard Jalen Coleman-Lands for two weeks with a leg fracture and guard Jaylon Tate for an indefinite amount of time due to a concussion.

Despite the numerous setbacks entering the season, junior guard Malcolm Hill insists the team is up for the challenge, per Ryan: "This is getting ridiculous. But we're not going to hang our heads about it or be sad about it. Next man up. If we hang our heads, that's when we're defeated. It's a challenge we have to face, and I'm just glad it's before the season."

The Fighting Illini will open the regular season Nov. 13 against North Florida. If all goes well for Nunn during his recovery, he could be back for Illinois' Dec. 19 clash with South Dakota.

There is no question that Illinois' backcourt depth has been depleted by injuries, but the likes of Hill, Mike LaTulip, Alex Austin and others will have a chance to establish themselves and keep the team above water until Nunn and the other injured guards return to action.

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