Syracuse, N.Y. -- Jesse Edwards will have surgery on Friday to repair a wrist he injured in the Boston College game, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said on his Thursday radio show.
Edwards fractured his left wrist Tuesday in the late stages of SU’s win over the Eagles. Boeheim said the surgery is not complicated. The wrist, he said, should be healed within five or six weeks.
“It’s an easy recovery,” Boeheim said on his radio show, aired each week on TK99. “Moving forward it will be a few weeks and then he’ll be back doing everything. But you know, it’s too bad. He was having a great year. He’s really shown tremendous improvement.”
The SU coach said earlier Thursday that Bourama Sidibe will be available for SU at the center spot. Sidibe, the graduate student, has played a total of eight minutes this season and missed almost all of last year during a period that required two knee surgeries.
Sidibe has been practicing with the Orange all season. Because of the emergence of Edwards and his primary backup, Frank Anselem, opportunities for Sidibe have been limited. But he has shown flashes in practice, Boeheim said, and “stepped it up” during Thursday’s session.
“I think Bourama’s ready,” Boeheim said. “I think he’s ready to help us. But it may take a game, it may take a little time.”
The Orange, too, has some flexibility along its back line.
SU can opt to play three forwards, with Jimmy Boeheim in the middle flanked by Cole Swider and Benny Williams and/or John Bol Ajak. Buddy Boeheim can slide to small forward with Joe Girard and Symir Torrence at the guard spots.
“Jimmy’s played the center spot this year, he’s played it in several games,” Jim Boeheim said. “It gives us a more open offense. We can do some things offensively a little bit different. It’s not ideal, but I have no reason to think that Frank and Bourama can’t get the job done. Bourama’s been fine in practice. I think he can go 15-20 minutes easily.”
As much as a three-forward lineup might help the Orange from an offensive standpoint, Boeheim acknowledged not having a true center in the game hurts SU on defense.
Edwards, a junior academically who has two more seasons available after 2021-22 if he chooses to avail himself of the NCAA’s extra Covid year, can immediately get into the weight room and begin to augment his 6-foot-11, 228-pound frame.
Boeheim said Edwards can work on conditioning and on lower body strength as his wrist heals. The key to Edwards’ evolution at Syracuse and beyond will be his ability to gain weight and strength between now and next season. Boeheim has mentioned a target of 240 pounds.
“He said today he won’t be running, he’ll be eating,” Boeheim said, “and hopefully can put a few pounds on while he’s sitting out. He’ll be in weight training, full-time weight training, sooner than if he was playing.
“He knows that he’s on a path and he knows that he’s got to get stronger. And that’s really the goal moving forward.”
Contact Donna Ditota anytime: Email | Twitter
MORE
Jesse Edwards fractures wrist, will be out for the rest of the Syracuse basketball season
Jim Boeheim on Jesse Edwards: ‘I feel bad for him. He’s made such great strides’
>> Background on Edwards: Jesse Edwards works to summon an inner mean as he rises from obscurity to become one of the ACC’s most improved players
>> More on Sidibe: Bourama Sidibe’s painful journey from 2 knee surgeries: ‘It’s been great so far. I’m doing better.’
Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.
Jesse Edwards fractures wrist, will be out for the rest of the Syracuse basketball season