Duane Wilson to miss start of season due to injury

Courtesy: Instagram

Duane Wilson will miss the start of the season, Marquette’s Twitter account revealed on Monday.

At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Wilson was expected to be a contributor from day one backing up Derrick Wilson at point guard. He possessed incredible quickness in high school and AAU ball that made him a consensus top-75 player, ranked as high as No. 51 by Rivals.com.

It is not yet known how long he will be out or how he was injured, but he did share the photo above on Instagram over the weekend.

In speaking to Paint Touches earlier in the year, Wilson said he was willing to play any roll on the team, but for now he will be reduced to a cheerleader on the bench as he heals.

“I do care about playing time and scoring, but I just want to win and make a run in the NCAA Tournament. Whether it’s me, Derrick or [incoming freshman] John [Dawson], it doesn’t matter who starts the game; it’s who wins the game.”

The injury to Duane will impact John Dawson the most, at least early on. A little-known point guard from New Mexico, Dawson was The least heralded of the 2013 recruiting class that included Jajuan Johnson and Deonte Burton as well. Without another true point to back up Derrick, Dawson is likely to see playing time from Day 1.

Todd Mayo is also likely to see some time at the one-spot with Duane injured. While not a prototypical point guard by any means, Mayo played at the position a bit during his freshman year, most notably against Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. He is a good ball handler with decent vision and is often used in breaking full-court traps. While he may be a bit careless at times, he has shown ability to penetrate into the lane.

Going off that, guards being able to break down defenders off the dribble became even more important this season with the tightening up of rules on defenders. Hand checks will not be tolerated, and referees have been instructed to be much more aggressive with the whistle. That is where Duane could have come in handy and where Mayo definitely will. Quick guards will get to the line over and over again, a place where Derrick hasn’t been comfortable his first two seasons with the team. 

Here’s some of the explosive athleticism he showed during the summer at the Milwaukee Pro-Am.

Here’s another look at some of the scoring ability he possesses, from Marquette Madness last week.