Duke Basketball's Drew Scharnowski Handles Knee Injury Ahead of Season

DURHAM, N.C. — Drew Scharnowski of Duke basketball is currently managing a knee injury but aims to return before the season begins. During Duke's annual media day on September 24, the 6-foot-10, 240-pound player had a sleeve on his right knee. Scharnowski stated, "Right now it's just taking it one day at a time. I'm coming in, working really hard, and listening to the trainers. The goal is to return before the official games start."

Head coach Jon Scheyer provided an update on the team's health, saying it is "looking good, fine besides that." He emphasized the need for Scharnowski's return, noting, "We're working through some health stuff for him right now. He has a knee injury he's working through, and we're hopeful he'll be back soon."

A transfer from Belmont, Scharnowski earned First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors last season, alongside being named to the MVC All-Defensive Team and the MVC Most Improved Team. Scheyer expressed his enthusiasm for Scharnowski, describing him as "the ultimate connector" due to his defensive versatility, stating he can switch between positions effectively.

Duke will host Countdown to Craziness on Saturday, October 3, followed by exhibition games against Belmont on October 8, Tennessee on October 20, and Kansas on October 25, before officially starting their season at home against Army on November 2.

Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network.