MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia freshman point guard Brandon Knapper underwent surgery Friday for a meniscus repair in his right knee, an injury expected to sideline him until second semester.
The school issued a statement saying he is out indefinitely.
A graduate of South Charleston High School who spent last year at Hargrave Military Academy, the 6-foot Knapper was expected to play a crucial role backing up All-Big 12 senior Jevon Carter.
“Brandon has been looking forward to putting on a WVU uniform for years now,” coach Bob Huggins said. “We have all the confidence in Brandon that he will work diligently to get back on the court as soon as possible.”
Knapper’s injury likely means more playing time for sophomore Beetle Bolden, a combo guard who averaged 3.5 points last season in under 6 minutes per game.
Coming off a 28-win campaign that culminated in a Sweet 16 loss to Gonzaga, the Mountaineers’ roster has suffered several offseason hits.
Starting center Elijah Macon passed up his senior year, four-star recruit Derek Culver failed to qualify, and forward Esa Ahmad — the team’s second-leading scorer at 11.3 points per game — faces the possibility of an early-season suspension.