Maliq Brown injury update: Jon Scheyer provides update on Duke basketball player ahead of UNC game

Posted by author March 6, 2025 Basketball

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DURHAM — Duke basketball’s Maliq Brown will try to practice Thursday and Friday, head coach Jon Scheyer said Thursday during a press conference at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Brown has missed eight games this season, including the last four with a shoulder injury. It’s unclear whether the 6-foot-9 forward will play for the second-ranked Blue Devils (27-3, 19-1 ACC) against rival UNC (20-11, 13-6) on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ESPN).

“Maliq has been working so hard. Maliq’s been telling me for two weeks, ‘I’m ready,’ when he hasn’t been,” Scheyer said with a laugh inside the Bill Brill Media Room. “But that’s his mindset to be ready. He has not practiced yet. He’s gonna try (Thursday) to do some, but we’re not gonna risk anything unless he’s completely ready to go.

“So, we’ll have to see (Thursday) and (Friday) if there’s a chance. But he literally hasn’t practiced one time with us yet (since the injury).”

Brown missed four games earlier this season with a knee injury before returning in Duke’s 87-70 win against the Tar Heels in Durham. He had three rebounds, two steals, two points and two assists in that game.

At the time of his injury on Feb. 17 at Virginia, Brown led the Blue Devils with 119 deflections and was second in steals (30).

Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.