CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illini fans are itching to see their preseason All-American selection back in action, but this is the last piece of news they’re gonna want to hear.
During Illinois’ exhibition matchup versus Baylor Friday night, the first game of the season at State Farm Center, the Illini’s star sophomore forward and preseason All-American selection was seen back in a boot and scooter during warmups.
With Mirkovic having spent nearly a month already with the boot off, Illini fans were convinced he was approaching what seemed like the last stages of recovery for a foot injury that kept him out since the beginning of August.
Mirkovic did not see the court during Illinois’ exhibition win over the Cincinnati Bearcats last week, and that trend continued in Friday night’s exhibition versus Baylor. With the boot back on, Illini fans might have to wait longer than they expected to see the star back in orange and blue.
In Wednesday’s media availability, before Mirkovic was seen back in the boot, head coach Brad Underwood noted that they’re simply trying to play it safe.
“We always want to air on the side of patience with him in terms of making sure he’s ready for the for the long haul and that nothing reoccurs,” Underwood said.
Now, it seems as if something has reoccured.
On a more positive note, he noted that it allows him to experiment with lineups and get the younger guys some early minutes. Exhibitions like these allow Underwood to build a shared mentality with his roster and find out what works and what doesn’t.
“It’s great opportunity for some of these young guys to continue to grow,” Underwood said. “I think I’ll look at more combinations than I will just random substitutions getting guys in the game. I expect us to be a team that plays a lot of guys throughout the season, but especially in these exhibitions.”
Luckily, the Illini boast a deep roster filled with both young talent and returning veterans that will aim to pick up the slack while Mirkovic inches closer to recovery.
