With the beginning of the season right around the corner, the UNC men’s basketball team received awful news Friday morning when it was announced that junior Theo Pinson is out indefinitely after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot.

Pinson, who was expected to be among the Tar Heels’ starting five, suffered the injury during practice earlier this week.

A treatment plan is currently being reviewed, but until then the timetable for Pinson’s return is unknown.

 

A 6-foot-6 wing who has spent time at multiple positions for UNC, Pinson played in all 40 games for the Tar Heels last season as a sophomore, starting in seven of them. He averaged just under five points per game and finished third on the team in assists last season–seeing his teammates point to him on 115 occasions. He was the first non-starter to lead UNC in the category since 2008.

This run of good health came a year after Pinson missed significant time down the team’s stretch run with a broken left foot.

Now the Tar Heels’ number one source of charisma finds himself in a similar situation, only now it’s the other foot that’s broken.

“I’m so disappointed for Theo,” UNC head coach Roy Williams said, in a statement. “Number one, he’s been playing well and he does so many positive things for our team. Theo’s our energy guy, he defends, he’s our best passer, a threat on the offensive boards, he can play four different positions, and he gives our team personality, and I mean that in a good way.

“Hopefully we can get him back before the end of the season.”