Story by
Maliq Brown injury update: Jon Scheyer gives update on Duke basketball player shoulder
- Story by
- Maliq Brown injury update: Jon Scheyer gives update on Duke basketball player shoulder
Duke basketball 's Maliq Brown is "weeks ahead of schedule" following offseason surgery to repair a separated left shoulder, head coach Jon Scheyer said on July 8.
"Maliq is weeks ahead of schedule from his surgery, where he's at," Scheyer said during a summer press conference inside the Bill Brill Media Room at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Advertisement
"He dislocated his shoulder twice and you have to be really cautious with that. He won't do contact still for another 4-8 weeks, but he can do everything 5-on-0. He's shooting, he's handling, he's passing. Just seeing him out there is great."
GRADING DUKE'S OFFSEASON: How did Jon Scheyer, Duke basketball do with offseason moves? Here are results from survey
QUIET BUT DRIVEN: Maliq Brown is quiet, but ready to play through injury for Duke basketball vs Alabama
Brown missed 13 games last season, including eight because of a separated left shoulder across the final stretch of the season, including the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. He played limited minutes in three March Madness games, including Duke 's loss to Houston in the Final Four.
Advertisement
The 6-foot-9, 225-pound senior forward will enter the 2025-26 season as the Blue Devils' most experienced player and arguably their best defender. In just under 16 minutes across 26 games, Brown averaged 2.5 points and 3.7 rebounds. But his influence went beyond the box score as he consistently led the team in deflections and displayed a knack for making the right reads in Duke's offense.
On July 2, Brown joined teammate Caleb Foster on The Brotherhood Podcast to discuss his recovery and rehab since the completion of the 2024-25 season.
Foster, who described Brown as "the best defensive player in the country" and "Maliq the freak," asked about the status of Brown's left shoulder.
"I'm feeling good. Both of us been here the whole summer, so just attacking every day, rehabbing to get on the court as much as I can," Brown said on the podcast. "Just adding stuff every day ... every day trying to add something new in the rehab."
Advertisement
Foster mentioned Brown started lifting light weights in the last week of June.
"I feel like a new man, just being able to at least put some weight on the bars or get some curls in," Brown said.
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.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Maliq Brown shoulder: Duke basketball player 'ahead of schedule'
