College Basketball Injury Report for Dec 20, 2023: Latest on Tyrese Proctor, Luka Krajnovic and more

The 2023-24 college basketball season has so far lived up to expectations. Fans across the country have enjoyed a good number of exciting games, witnessing the rise of future basketball stars who will redefine the sport at a higher level.

As the season proceeds and the games provide fans with a good level of entertainment, there have been instances of players getting injured and ruled out of action for a while. This often comes as a major setback for teams and their campaign.

Let's take a look at the updates on notable college basketball players who are currently injured.

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College basketball injury reports for December 23, 2023

#1 Tyrese Proctor, Duke

Tyrese Proctor has been sidelined since spraining his left ankle early in the first half of Duke basketball's road loss to Georgia Tech on December 2 and was seen walking on crutches.

However, the latest update reports the guard has discontinued the use of crutches but is still expected to be several weeks away from reaching full recovery. While the Blue Devils have won their last two games in Proctor's absence, he remains an important part of the team.

#2 Luka Krajnovic, Gonzaga

Freshman Krajnovic suffered a broken left hand during the shootaround before Gonzaga's game against UConn this past Friday and will be out of action for four to six weeks.

Before his injury, the freshman guard appeared in six of the 10 non-conference games, averaging 3.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 11 minutes per game. He has been considered a potential future starting point guard for the Bulldogs.

#3 Grant Darbyshire, Kentucky

Grant Darbyshire has not yet made his college basketball debut with Kentucky due to injuries. He joined the Wildcats ahead of the 2022-23 college basketball season.

Darbyshire was sidelined for the entire previous season, reportedly dealing with an undisclosed injury at the beginning of the year. His current situation remains unclear, and it is believed he will have a tough time getting games when he returns due to the talented Kentucky roster.

#4 Terrance Arceneaux, Houston

Houston recorded its first injury of the 2023-24 season as Terrance Arceneaux suffered an Achilles injury in the 70-66 win over old conference rival Texas A&M on Saturday.

Arceneaux played six minutes for the Cougars before sustaining the injury in the first half against the Aggies. The sophomore guard is set to undergo surgery this week and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2023-24 college basketball season.

#5 Henri Veesaar, Arizona

Henri Veesaar suffered an elbow injury outside of basketball ahead of the season in late October. The sophomore forward was ruled out of action indefinitely by the program.

Veesaar has notably had a sling around his elbow since then. While Arizona did not specify the extent of the injury and the timetable for a return, there's a belief he will be out for four to six weeks. Going by this, the forward is expected to reach full recovery in late December.

#6 Chance Westry, Syracuse

Chance Westry suffered an undisclosed injury in October, which Syracuse announced "will require a procedure." The Auburn transfer has been undergoing rehabilitation since then.

With no return date in sight, Westry might miss the rest of the 2023-24 basketball season after opting for medical redshirt in 2022. At Auburn last season, he posted averages of 2.5 points, 1.0 assists, and 0.7 steals in slightly over nine minutes per game across 11 appearances.

#7 Berke Buyuktuncel, UCLA

Berke Buyuktuncel left UCLA's 66-65 triumph over UC Riverside due to an ankle injury, leading to his absence in the subsequent defeats against Villanova, Ohio State and Cal State Northbridge.

The forward is currently maintaining an average of only five points per game, with a shooting accuracy of 27.3% from the field. There is a hopeful anticipation that he could make a return by December 22 when the Bruins come up against the Maryland Terrapins.

#8 Colin Smith, Vanderbilt

Colin Smith sustained an injury to his right Achilles tendon during the first half of Saturday's game against Texas Tech. The injury occurred less than five minutes into the game.

He has decided to undergo surgery and, unfortunately, will be sidelined for the rest of the season. Over the course of seven games this season for the Commodores, with six of them being starts, Smith maintained an average of 7.1 points and 6.6 rebounds.

#9 Jesse Edwards, West Virginia

West Virginia interim coach Josh Eilert announced on Monday that starting center Jesse Edwards had suffered a wrist fracture. This comes as a setback for the Mountaineers.

Edwards will undergo surgery later this week, which will see him sidelined for four weeks. He’s been delivering an impressive performance, averaging 14.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, all while boasting a shooting accuracy of 55% from the floor.