The right knee injury sustained by Auburn forward Jaylin Williams is not expected to end his season, the school announced Sunday.
Williams underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury he sustained while going up for a contested dunk midway through the second half of the 13th-ranked Tigers’ 70-59 setback to No. 22 Kentucky on Saturday.
“Graduate senior forward Jaylin Williams was evaluated this morning and has a non-season-ending knee injury,” Auburn wrote in a statement Sunday.
Williams took to social media to ease concerned fans, writing, “I’m going to be fine.”
I’m going to be fine. ??????
— Jaylin Williams (@iso__jaywill) February 18, 2024
Williams is averaging 13 points and 4.7 rebounds in 26 games (all starts) for Auburn (20-6, 9-4 SEC), which saw its 16-game home winning streak come to a halt on Saturday.
The 6-foot-8 forward is shooting 58.1 percent for the season and a team-leading 41.4 percent from 3-point territory.
“If Jaylin’s out, we’re going to have to figure some things out,” Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said after Saturday’s loss. “I think we have guys that will step up. But Jaylin Williams is — he and Johni Broome are our two best players. So if he’s out for a little while, it’s got to be next man up. That’s a significant loss.”
Chaney Johnson, a 6-foot-7 forward, likely will see more playing time in place of Williams. Johnson is averaging 3.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Auburn returns to action on Saturday for a road game against Georgia.
–Field Level Media
