Xavier's Jerome Hunter, Former Indiana Forward, Suffers Torn Achilles in Practice

Xavier Musketeers basketball coach Sean Miller told reporters that forward Jerome Hunter, who spent two years with the Indiana Hoosiers, tore his Achilles during practice. Hunter was redshirting the 2023-24 season after undergoing heart surgery.

Xavier forward Jerome Hunter, who played his first two seasons of college basketball at Indiana, suffered an Achilles tear during practice. Musketeers coach Sean Miller revealed the news on Tuesday, saying the senior would undergo surgery immediately.

"Unfortunately in yesterday's practice, Jerome sustained an Achilles tear," Miller said. "So, he'll undergo surgery maybe as soon as the end of this week. We're trying to get the details and work through that part of it."

Hunter was redshirting the 2023-24 season due to a heart condition. He played in 37 games for Xavier last season, making 15 starts. The forward averaged 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Sean Miller’s full statement on Jerome Hunter’s Achilles tear: pic.twitter.com/KFVBKqYuhy

— Paul Fritschner (@PaulFritschner) February 6, 2024

"When it happened, it's like the air went out of the building," Miller said. "Everybody knows all that he's been through. And if you don't know his story, he had heart surgery this summer. ... We worked through those early tough weeks and months. He fought his way back to where he was finally cleared post-surgery and after his recovery and rehab, cardiac rehab — everything he's been through — to return to play in practice."

Before transferring to Xavier, Hunter played at Indiana from 2019-21, spending two seasons in Bloomington. While with the Hoosiers, he appeared in 55 games and averaged 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds. 

Hunter still has one season of eligibility because of the Covid-19 waiver from the NCAA. In his four seasons between Indiana and Xavier, he's played in 127 career games. He's scored 702 points and collected 402 boards. 

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