Injury sidelines Kansas State Wildcats women’s basketball star Ayoka Lee for season
Ayoka Lee won’t be in the running for any player of the year awards next basketball season.
Kansas State’s star center, who scored a NCAA record 61 points in a game last season with the Wildcats women’s hoops team, requires surgery to repair an injury in her knee. The recovery time associated with the procedure is expected to be long. She won’t be ready to return to the court until 2023-24.
“I am devastated for Yokie,” K-State women’s basketball coach Jeff Mittie said in a statement. “She has battled this knee injury for two years. We were hopeful with a summer procedure and extended rest, she would be able to play this upcoming season. Unfortunately, after meeting with the medical staff the last couple of days she will require season-ending surgery. We will support Yokie through her recovery and rehab and look forward to her returning to the court for the 2023-24 season.”
For now, Lee plans to stay in school and return to the action with the Wildcats when she is healthy enough to do so.
It will be interesting to see how K-State gets by without her in the meantime. Her injury is dreadful news for a Wildcats team that was expected to make a return trip to the NCAA Tournament and push for a high finish in the Big 12 standings this season.
Those expectations will drop considerably without one of the best scorers in the country leading the front court.
“While it deeply saddens me that I cannot be on the court with my teammates this season, I am fully committed to getting healthy and contributing as a leader on the sideline,” Lee said. “Although my role will be different, I am confident in what we will accomplish as a team this year. There is no other team, coaches or support staff I would want to work through this with.
“As my team surrounds me in support through my recovery, my hope is that Wildcat Nation will continue to surround our team with the same love and support they always have. I look forward to getting back on the court and finishing my graduate degree in 2023-24. Forever thankful and blessed to be a Wildcat.”
Lee, a product of Byron, Minnesota, has a history of knee injuries. She suffered a torn ACL in her right knee while she was in high school and sat out her first season with the Wildcats with a redshirt as she recovered.
She wore a brace on her right knee in games.
Lee averaged 22 points and 10.3 rebounds for the Wildcats as a redshirt junior last season. She has two years of college eligibility remaining. One of those will unfortunately be spent away from the court with another injury.
This story was originally published August 25, 2022 at 11:38 AM.