Bryce Hopkins, who left Kentucky basketball for Providence, suffers season-ending injury
Former University of Kentucky basketball player Bryce Hopkins has a torn ACL in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season for Providence.
The loss of the junior forward/guard is big for No. 23 Providence (11-3, 2-1 Big East). Through the first 14 games of the college basketball season, Hopkins led the Friars with 8.6 rebounds per game and was second on the team with 15.5 points.
“We all feel for Bryce and his family in this difficult time,” Providence coach Kim English said. “We will be with him throughout this process to help him come back stronger than ever. We ask that all of Friartown keeps Bryce and his family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Hopkins left Wednesday night’s game against Seton Hall with 14:59 left in the second half of a 61-57 loss. He passed to Devin Carter on a fast break before falling to the floor near midcourt and clutching at his left knee.
He played his freshman season at Kentucky before transferring to Providence ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
Hopkins earned All-Big East honors last season with 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in 33 games (all starts).
Hopkins was part of a 2021-22 Kentucky recruiting class that included Daimion Collins, TyTy Washington and Shaedon Sharpe but played limited minutes on a veteran Wildcats team that included the likes of Jacob Toppin, Sahvir Wheeler, Davion Mintz, Keion Brooks, Oscar Tshiebwe and Kellan Grady.
Hopkins played in 28 games but averaged only 6.5 minutes per contest, collecting 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds per outing. His most memorable performance at Kentucky was a 71-66 victory over LSU in Rupp Arena in which he scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds in a season-high 18 minutes.
One season later, Hopkins played against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 64, in which he contributed seven points, eight rebounds and two assists in Providence’s 61-53 loss to the Wildcats.
