June 17, 2009

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - UCLA sophomore forward Drew Gordon suffered a partially torn patellar tendon in his right knee yesterday at the 2009 USA Basketball U19 World Championship Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The injury has forced him out of the tryouts and he is scheduled to return to Los Angeles this evening, where he will be further evaluated. Nothing is known at this time about his prognosis and further information will be released as it is made available.

"It is an unfortunate event, but Drew is a resilient kid and he'll get through it," UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland said. "We have a good Athletic Training staff and we will be here to support him."

This isn't the first injury that Gordon has sustained while at a USA Basketball competition. In 2007, Gordon broke his right hand in the fourth game of the 2007 USA Basketball Men's Youth Development Festival. He was able to play in the championship game when his Red Team won the gold medal with a 5-0 record.

Last year at UCLA, Gordon played in 34 of 35 contests, averaging 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while leading the Bruins in field goal percentage, shooting 56.5 percent (52-of-92) from the floor.