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Stepping in front cameras and tape recorders for the first time since October's optimistic men's basketball media day, Jeronne Maymon laid out his bottom line Monday afternoon.
"I didn't want to miss too many games," he conceded. "I didn't want to come back and be a distraction and have coach try to put me in there where other guys have paved the way for themselves to play this year. I'm just going to take the backseat and let guys do what they have to do."
The uniform in the backseat is a redshirt.
Maymon and UT coach Cuonzo Martin penned an obituary to the senior's 2012-13 season Monday. Both addressed the media one day after an official UT release announced Maymon will apply for a medical redshirt due to a left knee injury. He will return to UT as a fifth-year senior in 2013-14.
Maymon said he made his final decision after the Memphis game.
"I saw that I wasn't going to be able to play until late January and I didn't want to come back after missing that many SEC games," the preseason All-SEC second-team selection said. "It would have just been a hassle trying to get back and get back in the flow of everything."
With an accompanying shrug, Maymon added that he "didn't want to be a liability" by attempting to test his surgically repaired knee this season.
Maymon underwent arthroscopic surgery to address a torn meniscus on March 20 at UT Medical Center. He appeared in two games during the Vols' August exhibition tour of Italy, but began the 2012-13 season on crutches.
The clandestine injury and ensuing setbacks, veiled all season by student privacy laws, didn't become any clearer Monday.
A UT spokesmen prefaced Maymon's meeting with the media by saying he would not field questions about the injury itself.
The same applied for Martin.
"I can't give particulars about the specifics on the knees and types of surgeries, but he should have a full recovery," the second-year coach said. "By what the trainers and doctors are saying, he should be 100 percent full-go at the end of this month, practicing and competing in practice, if everything stays according to plan."
Martin said he believed Maymon could have taken the floor before the end of this season. He felt a few late-season games weren't worth wasting an entire year of eligibility, though.
"I knew at some point, if it got this late, I wasn't about to put the kid on the court and try to win a few games and he's not 100 percent," Martin explained.
The final decision was ultimately Maymon's.
"It's definitely kind of sad because I won't be able to play with Kenny Hall and Skylar McBee and the rest of the seniors that I've been playing with for the longest," he said. "It's bittersweet feeling, but I'm ready."
After sitting out the remainder of the season, Maymon, who averaged 12.7 points and a team-high 8.1 rebounds per game as a junior, intends to return to UT and fill the program's last remaining available scholarship for next season.
The Vols are 8-4 without Maymon. SEC play begins Wednesday (TV: WVLT, 8 p.m.) against Ole Miss (11-2) at Thompson-Boling Arena.
In other injury news, Martin said Monday he expects freshman forward Derek Reese (sprained ankle) and junior forward D'Montre Edwards (sprained knee) to play Wednesday. Both missed the Vols' 85-80 loss to Memphis on Friday night.
Brendan F. Quinn covers Tennessee men's basketball. Follow him at Twitter.com/BFQuinn
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Comments » 18
mocsandvolsfan writes:
I do like having Maymon next season...A little light at the end of the tunnel.
Golden/Hubbs
McRae
Richardson
Maymon
Stokes/Makanjuola
Sounds like some decisions to be made on a starting lineup next year. Good problem to have.
D60 writes:
How about let's red shirt Counzo
born2ride writes:
Stokes will be gone.
orangecountyvols writes:
May we 'write that down' along with all the rest of your know-it-all-but wrong predictions?
Sounds like another troll.......the one who said 'the Lady Vols were going to get smoked by Georgia.'
mocsandvolsfan writes:
Maybe barnarid will be gone too.hehe
mocsandvolsfan writes:
don't expect any fan help there.
1vavolfan writes:
The right decision for Maymon, it would take him another month to get into full playing shape. Jeronne has NBA potential and he will have an opportunity to play on a very good team next season that should have national exposure. That being said, this season will probably be the NIT or maybe one and done in the NCAA. It is however, a chance for players like J-Rich, McRae, and others to step up and get some valuable experience.
lstbodeanvol writes:
win-win for all thanks Jeronne we know you love this team and our University....heal up and help to motivate the other guys the rest of the way best wishes always look forward to seeing your physical skills inside the paint in 2013-14 :)
CoverOrange writes:
With three years experience under Martin for all starters next year (Stokes will be back), the bar just inched up higher.
redskinvol1 writes:
Great news for next year.Hope the rest of the team can get something going without him this year.Go get twelve more wins this year guys.Go Vols!!
tennrich1 writes:
Yall do realize this ole boy throws out poison then never hangs around to hear the rebutts right???? Usually...now he may read it just to laugh....
GreeneVol writes:
Glad he will be working with the team down the stretch this year - that will be great experience for Stokes, Hall, etc. I wonder how this development affects Martin's previous scholarship/recruiting plans...
asmith writes:
i didn't know edwards was hurt too. ole miss coming to town. schedule looks tough to open the sec. need wins over ole miss and alabama. i'm assuming that we will score in the 40's at rupp and get our annual buttkicking there.
johnlg00 writes:
I'm still not quite that pessimistic about this year's team IF Golden gets completely well soon. However, I agree with everything else you said. It is encouraging that Maymon and Martin both said Maymon will be close to 100% by the end of January. That means that his knee condition is not chronic, and he should have plenty of time to get in great shape for next year.
johnlg00 writes:
I agree that the Vols won't be able to sneak up on anybody next year. However, I feel pretty good about their chances to live up to the heightened expectations. It would certainly help their confidence if they could finish strong this year.
johnlg00 writes:
The article said that Maymon's return will mean no more scholarships will be available for next year. Let's hope the recruiting really kicks in for the next class. They will need major reinforcements after next year.
johnlg00 writes:
Looking forward to seeing Alabama against Missouri on TV tonight. I was somewhat surprised at Bama's uneven start this year, but they have some great athletes. Mizzou will be coming in trying to make a big impression on the rest of their new league. Should be a good preview of what the Vols can expect in the conference season.
johnlg00 writes:
PS: I hope Jeronne spends as much time as he can on his shooting and moves off the dribble. I would like to see him around 50% from the floor with a reliable mid-range jumper and around 80% from the line. If he can improve on those things, he might indeed have a shot at pro ball. He could be the same kind of player as Metta World Peace, though hopefully a bit less flaky, if he gets better out on the floor. They are about the same size and build.
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