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UConn Huskies Transfer Guard Suffers Injury During June Workouts
Dec 20, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Dayton Flyers guard Malachi Smith (11) shoots against Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jizzle James (2) in the first half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

As we slowly approach the 2025-26 college basketball season, the UConn Huskies and head coach Dan Hurley faced their first bump in the road this offseason.

According to a press release from UConn, transfer guard Malachi Smith suffered a knee injury during a workout earlier this month.

Luckily for the former Dayton Flyer star, the program believes he will not miss significant time, as the press release stated Smith "underwent a successful minor procedure and is expected to return to full basketball activities in August."

Smith, who recently transferred to UConn back in April, was a key piece of the Flyers' offensive efforts during the 2024-25 season. The Bronx, NY native averaged 10.4 points and 5.3 assists per game in his redshirt junior season. Hurley and the Huskies coaching staff were able to catch a glimpse of Smith last season in the program's early-season loss to Dayton in the Maui Invitational, 85-67.

With UConn's leading scorer last season Liam McNeeley off to the NBA, the addition of an experienced guard in Smith is perfect for the Huskies. Star guard Solo Ball will retain his role as the program's leader in the backcourt, while Smith brings another scorer into the mix.


This article first appeared on UConn Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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