AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head men’s basketball coach Steve Prohm announced today that junior forward Solomon Young will miss the remainder of the 2018-19 season as he continues to recover from a groin injury suffered in October.
A native of Sacramento, Calif., Young was determined to come back at full strength after the surgery. However, the timing of the injury made it difficult for Young to get back to competitive form at this point of the schedule.
He played in four games, making his debut Dec. 21 against Eastern Illinois. Young played 6.8 minutes per game and averaged 1.8 points before electing to seek a medical redshirt.
“Solomon and I have recently had talks about his recovery from the injury he suffered in preseason practice, and after consulting with our medical staff, he has decided that it is in his best interest to pursue a medical redshirt this season,” Prohm said. “Solomon and our medical staff worked extremely hard to get him back on the court this season, but in the end Solomon isn’t comfortable with where he is at physically and we support him.
“I’m confident that his teammates will come together and that Solomon will play a major role as a leader this season.”
Young, who has 38 starts in his career, most recently played 11 minutes off the bench for the Cyclones at Baylor, scoring two points.
“This isn’t a decision that can be made over night. I’ve come across some tough decisions in my life, but I can’t think of any tougher than this,” Young said. “I put my heart and soul out on the court. I’ve pushed myself to many limits that have helped and hurt me. I play for my teammates, I play for everyone who believes and supports me. I love Iowa State and wish I could be out there doing everything I can to win.
“I never thought I would have to deal with the obstacles I’ve had in my time here. But I’m grateful to have a supporting cast around me for those tough times and this one now. I believe I need to take this time to finally get 100 percent so I can help max out this program and max myself out. Thank you, Cyclone Nation.”
