Xavier basketball received some disappointing news before the start of the 2024-25 season. Forward Lassina Traore, regarded as one of the key transfers joining the Musketeers, sustained a season-ending knee injury during practice last Wednesday, as confirmed by head coach Sean Miller.
“Last Wednesday, Lassina Traore suffered a season-ending knee injury in our practice,” Miller stated in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Lassina was a starter on this year’s team. He had a tremendous summer and preseason, significantly enhancing his skills as much as any player in our program. He quickly became our team’s strongest rebounder, low post defender, and shot blocker. He was in excellent condition and set the tone for everything that contributes to winning.”
Traore made his way to Xavier this offseason from Long Beach State and was anticipated to be a crucial player for a Musketeers team aiming to return to the NCAA Tournament after a missed opportunity last season. He recorded a double-double in both of the last two seasons and topped the Big West in rebounding during both 2022-23 and 2023-24. Traore is expected to rejoin the team for the 2025-26 season.
Sean Miller expresses deep disappointment over Lassina Traore’s injury
The loss of Lassina Traore is a significant setback for a Xavier team that struggled last season, coming at an unfortunate time. As the season approaches, it is too late for Sean Miller and Xavier to find an external replacement for Traore. Consequently, existing players will need to step up and fill the void left by Traore.
In the wake of the injury, Miller shared a heartfelt message on X, emphasizing the challenging nature of Traore’s absence for the season.
“There is no silver lining here for us,” Miller remarked. “It becomes our players and coaching staff’s collective duty to rebuild our team. We are prepared to tackle the many challenges that lie ahead. However, make no mistake about it – we will miss Lassina’s talent and presence. No single player can take his place. All of us will need to contribute more, improve, and rise to our respective challenges. We look forward to supporting Lassina through his surgery later this month and the rehabilitation that will follow. And, we will eagerly anticipate his return to the basketball court in our 25-26 Season.”
Traore is set to undergo surgery and aims for a comeback next season, but the current year will be a difficult challenge without him. The highly regarded transfer was expected to be one of the leading rebounders in the Big East, and the Musketeers may struggle inside without his presence in the lineup.
Image Source: OSCAR GONZALEZ FUENTES / Shutterstock
