Kentucky's Jarred Vanderbilt Likely to Undergo Foot Surgery, Miss 3 Months

The University of Kentucky announced Saturday that freshman forward Jarred Vanderbilt is expected to miss three months after suffering a left foot injury that is likely to require surgery. 

Assuming Vanderbilt goes under the knife, he's expected to return to the floor in January. 

"I've had some setbacks before and I've come back from all of them," Vanderbilt said in the school's release. "After talking with my doctor and my family, I feel good about the plan they have in place for me. I'm anxious to get this right and return to my team so I can put this behind me for good. I can't wait to get back to my brothers and help us compete for a national championship this season."

A former 5-star recruit, Vanderbilt was the 12th-ranked player among all 2017 recruits and top-ranked player in the state of Texas, according to the 247Sports composite. 

Losing a player of that quality for several months won't be easy as the Wildcats attempt to get off to a fast start. 

But if there's one program that can afford to suffer a setback, it's Kentucky. 

Head coach John Calipari continued his brilliant streak of recruiting success in advance of the 2017-18 season, and the Wildcats now appear locked and loaded with prized talents Hamidou Diallo, Quade Green, Kevin Knox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and P.J. Washington in tow. 

Alongside returning contributors like Wenyen Gabriel, that group should be able to hold down the fort until Vanderbilt is ready to make a return. 

Recruit information courtesy of 247Sports.com.