Alabama Freshman London Jemison Out vs. Kennesaw State with Knee Injury, Expected Back Soon
HUNTSVILLE - Alabama will be without promising freshman forward London Jemison for Sunday’s matchup against Kennesaw State, as he continues to recover from a left knee injury suffered in last week’s high-scoring win over South Florida.
Jemison exited that game in the first half after appearing to tweak his knee, needing assistance from team trainer Clarke Holter as he made his way off the court. He did not return, and head coach Nate Oats didn’t have many details at the time. But ahead of Sunday’s tip-off at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Oats offered a more encouraging update.
“Left knee injury, not major though,” Oats told Crimson Tide Sports Network. “He's out today, but he'll be day to day. Hopefully back by Yale.”
That timeline puts Jemison on track to return before SEC play begins, and Oats added that the expectation is the freshman will be ready for the conference opener against Kentucky on January 3.
Before the injury, Jemison had been carving out a solid role in Alabama’s rotation. He posted three points and three rebounds in limited action against USF, but it was his recent stretch of double-digit scoring games that had fans and coaches buzzing. The 4-star recruit had been gaining momentum with strong performances against UNLV, Maryland, Clemson, and UTSA - showing off the kind of versatility and motor that fits well in Oats’ up-tempo system.
For now, Alabama will have to adjust without Jemison in the lineup against Kennesaw State, a game that will be streamed on SECNetwork+ via ESPN+. But the bigger picture is still intact: Jemison’s injury isn’t considered serious, and if all goes according to plan, the Tide should have one of their most promising young pieces back in time for the SEC grind.