Xavier sophomore point guard Edmond Sumner could spend the 2017-18 NBA season “on ice” but expects to be a contributor to his new team going forward.
The 6-foot-5 Sumner underwent ACL surgery in March and most recently had shoulder surgery.
“I think Edmond will get drafted in the second round,” Xavier coach Chris Mack said Thursday on The 4 Quarters Podcast. “Where that is, I don’t know. I’ve heard anywhere from 35-50. And I think a team’s going to take a chance on Ed simply because he’s such an elite athlete. I think they look at it like they could sort of put him on ice for a year, not have him play, get him rehabbed and have him 100 percent for the 2018-19 season.”
Sumner, who averaged 14.4 points, 4.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds before going down with a season-ending ACL tear his left knee in late January, is currently projected at No. 42 to the Utah Jazz via DraftExpress.com.
“He’s getting better every single day,” Mack said. “A lot of people knew obviously about the knee because it happened in front of the entire world. He was in MSG against St. John’s, went down and he had the surgery March. He also had a second surgery on his shoulder right after after the NBA Combine. Ed was invited to the Combine, did several interviews, went through medical testing so he’s actually healing two injuries. The good thing is both surgeries wont well and now it’s just a matter of him getting both limbs healthy and then getting his opportunity.”
Photo: Xavier Athletics
