Auburn forward Chuma Okeke saw his season come to an end in heartbreaking fashion Friday night when he suffered a torn ACL during the Tigers’ upset win over North Carolina, but he fought through the physical and emotional pain to support his teammates in the Elite 8.
Early in the second half of Auburn’s game against Kentucky on Sunday, Okeke was wheeled into the arena so he could be on the sideline with the team. He told CBS reporter Jamie Erdahl that he was unsure about attending the game but knew he had to be there after watching the hard-fought first half.
Sick for Chuma Okeke, but very special to see him in the arena supporting his guys. Selfless move; it cannot be easy being in the arena right now. #Auburn #Kentucky @chuma_okeke pic.twitter.com/ieyQCImZ74
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 31, 2019
“He said, ‘My knee was hurting this morning. I was tired. I didn’t think I wanted to be here,'” Erdahl reported. “But after watching that first half, he made a beeline. He wanted to (provide) emotional support.”
Okeke led Auburn with 20 points and 11 rebounds against UNC, and he had played extremely well since the SEC Tournament. Not being able to be on the court with his teammates while watching them scrap it out against Kentucky with some incredible plays must have been difficult.
