AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas basketball is dealing with multiple injuries as the team approaches the start of the 2025-26 season, having lost two big men over the past few weeks.
“We had two unfortunate injuries over three weeks ago with Lassina Traoré and Matas [Vokietaitis]“Our five guys,” Texans head coach Sean Miller said. “In both closed-door brawls, neither of these men participated.”
Without Traoré and Voukietes, the team has had some unorthodox practices, adjusting to sudden injuries.
“[The injuries] “It made both scrimmages problematic, and it also undoubtedly put us in a unique position,” Miller said. “Out of the 30 practices… about 3 weeks of time with two of the five players who will be playing a lot of minutes, both out at the same time.”
Vokietaitis is dealing with a sprained ankle, an injury that Miller expects to subside by the time the team opens the season.
“I think the good news is in Matas’s condition, he’s not only back in training, he’s in really good shape,” Miller said. “He’s got a lot of bad behind him, and I think he’s not only ready to play, but hopefully he can have four, five, six good days before we play Duke.”
According to Miller, Traore’s injury poses a bigger problem. The Longhorns have a midfoot sprain and want to make sure they get him back into action.
“It’s a little more complicated because he simply missed last season with an ACL injury in his other leg, so we’re making sure we’re not putting him in a bad situation in any way,” Miller said. “We also expect him to be available for the opening game of the season.”
Miller went on to say that Traore has also returned to training, but in a limited capacity compared to Vokietaitis. While both players are expected to return, in their absence the team is looking to a few young players to fill the void.
“Those two guys really hurt everyone for the time they missed,” Miller said. “If there’s a silver lining to it, I think John Clarke and Nick Cody got a lot of extra reps.”
Texas will face No. 6 Duke in Charlotte on Nov. 4 to open the season.