STARKVILLE — Mississippi State men’s basketball player Xavian Stapleton will be out six months after he suffered a knee injury earlier this week in practice.
According to a school press release, the 6-foot-6 Flora native, who transferred to MSU from Louisiana Tech and was going to have to sit out this season, tore the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee Monday in a pickup game. He will have knee surgery in September.
“My heart goes out to Xavian and his family,” MSU coach Ben Howland said in a statement released by the school. “You never want to see one of your players hurt, but I’m 100 percent confident he’ll bounce back and be stronger than ever. It happened at a time he should be ready to go when the season begins next year.”
Stapleton is the second Bulldog to have surgery in the offseason. Sophomore center Fallou Ndoye underwent surgery on his right wrist to repair a partially torn tendon earlier this summer. He is expected to be back in October.
Stapleton averaged 6.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in one season at Louisiana Tech. He will have three years of eligibility with MSU.
Earlier this month, Stapleton was arrested for driving with a suspended license. He was the second MSU men’s basketball player to get arrested for driving with a suspended license in the past four months.
MSU will open its season Nov. 13 against Eastern Washington at Humphrey Coliseum.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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