NFL Pro Bowl Quarterbacks
During Tennessee’s win against South Carolina on Saturday in Columbia, the Vols had a starter go down due to injury and did not return to the game. Tennessee forward Olivier Nkamhoua suffered an ankle injury early in the second half. While Nkamhoua did not return to the game on Saturday, he did reemerge from the locker room and sit with the team on the bench for the game’s close.
After the victory, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes gave as much of an update as he had on Nkamhoua’s injury. Luckily, even though Barnes didn’t have too much information from the doctors, what he said did sound optimistic.
“Olivier, ankle injury is what I have been told,” Barnes said to begin his press conference. “He’s not sure, maybe they have looked at it on tape, it’s just his ankle. I think he seemed fine but I haven’t heard, other than the fact that I heard he tweaked his ankle a little bit.”
Olivier Nkamhoua's craft keeps improving. Unfortunately, he comes up limping after this nice move. #NBADraft #Vols pic.twitter.com/lvmUMqlHQO
— Caleb (@VolsAndDraft) February 5, 2022
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With a media availability coming up on Monday, Barnes will likely be able to give a much more in-depth answer on Nkamhoua’s injury and the extent of it. However, after his postgame remarks, it does seem as though Tennessee is optimistic about Nkamhoua’s injury.
In his 17 minutes on the court on Saturday, Nkamhoua finished the game with seven points, five rebounds, and one assist.
After Tennessee’s win against Texas A&M in Knoxville last week, Vols’ guard Josiah-Jordan James spent a few minutes after the game talking about Nkamhoua and his relationship with him. Knowing how much value Olivier Nkamhoua has on this Tennessee team, for any number of reasons, Tennessee will hope to receive their experienced veteran back as soon as possible.
“He does not stop talking, that’s one thing I’ve figured out,” James said about Nkamhoua. “You just have to let him be him. He’s very knowledgeable, he’s very smart. He loves to ramble and rant and once he gets started, he doesn’t stop. Like he said, we’re really close. This whole team is a close-knit group, but me and Olivier especially. I feel like we’ve definitely grown, we’ve been through the ups and downs for the past three years here. He knows he can lean on me, I can lean on him. Outside of my roommates, I probably spend the most time at his house where him and Victor (Bailey Jr.) stay. Off the court, Olivier, he’s a very talkative person who lets you know that he likes to talk.”
