Graduate forward Olivier Nkamhoua underwent a surgical procedure on his left wrist, the Michigan men’s basketball team announced in a statement Wednesday morning. The recovery is expected to take three to four months, essentially ending Nkamhoua’s season and collegiate career.
Already without their leading scorer Dug McDaniel on the road, the Wolverines will now also be without their second-leading scorer in all games.
“This is not how things were meant to be for Olivier,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard said in the statement. “From the moment he stepped on campus, he brought maturity, class, insight and leadership. I truly feel blessed that I was able to learn a tremendous amount from him both on and off the court. He was a true warrior playing with this injury; however, it was just time to do something. We know this will pass and he will return to have a successful playing career. We are so grateful to have been a small part of his journey.”
Nkamhoua transferred to the Wolverines before this season after spending the previous four with Tennessee. Voted a captain before stepping on the court in a Michigan uniform, Nkamhoua’s impact on the Wolverines was immediate.
This season, Nkamhoua has played in his biggest role ever. While not immune to Michigan’s struggles, Nkamhoua has averaged 14.8 points per game as one of the Wolverines’ primary scoring options.
Playing at a high level out of the gates, Nkamhoua hit 1000 career points against Maryland on Jan. 11. In recent games, however, Nkamhoua’s presence, which we now know was a result of playing through the injury, has been volatile.
And with arguably his worst performance of the season Saturday against Michigan State, Nkamhoua was consoled by sophomore forward Will Tschetter immediately after the game.
“There was a lot going on, and a lot put in, Juwan spent long long long hours with him, I spent hours with him,” Michigan associate head coach Phil Martelli told WKTA. “Because this horizon, we knew it was there. It was always there. It was a matter of clearing surgeons, dates and what was the exact date that was the best time? Sof for the last several games, he’s been on eggshells, because ‘What if this is my last game?’ And he knew Saturday, that that was his last game. And he was not himself.”
Falling to the Spartants was an unceremonious ending to Nkamhoua’s largely successful college basketball career. But as the Wolverines sit at the bottom of the Big Ten, Nkamhoua’s injury puts them further away from a ceremonious ending to the losing season.