Tennessee's power forward JP Estrella is currently day-to-day with left foot soreness, as shared by head coach Rick Barnes. This news comes ahead of the Vols’ upcoming clash with Vanderbilt.
Estrella, who missed Tennessee’s recent 89-66 victory over Oklahoma due to the soreness, had been on a roll with a standout 16-point, nine-rebound performance against LSU prior to the injury. Coach Barnes mentioned that Estrella was working on the treadmill recently, indicating that his status will be monitored closely moving forward.
The specifics of when Estrella first felt the soreness remain unclear. However, Coach Barnes expressed some frustration, noting that Estrella might have been dealing with the issue before alerting the coaching staff.
“We emphasize to the players to report even minor soreness,” Barnes said. “Estrella likely kept it to himself because of his eagerness to contribute to the team.”
This situation is particularly concerning given Estrella’s history. He missed most of the 2024-25 season following surgery on the same foot. Fortunately, recent x-rays have come back negative, and the current issue seems unrelated to his previous surgery.
“Foot issues can be tricky,” Barnes explained. “But the current soreness doesn’t seem connected to the past surgery. We just need to manage it carefully.”
Estrella has been a key player for Tennessee, averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season. Since being added to the starting lineup against Alabama, his contributions have grown, averaging 11.7 points and seven rebounds over the last seven games.
In Estrella’s absence against Oklahoma, Jaylen Carey stepped up, scoring seven points and grabbing seven rebounds. DeWayne Brow, who has started 10 games this season, is another option for Barnes if Estrella remains sidelined, contributing 13 points and four rebounds in the last game.
The Vols are set to face Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium, with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, featuring commentary from Dave O’Brien, Cory Alexander, and Dick Vitale.