Iowa Commit Likely Won’t Play Basketball Again Due to Injuries

Iowa women's basketball recruit Ava Jones' story was already tragic. In July of this year, the future Hawkeye along with her father, mother, and brother were struck by a vehicle while standing on the sidewalk in Louisville, Kentucky. Her father passed away from his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Jones and her family was 33-year-old Michael Hurley, who admitted he had just taken hydrocodone and was too tired to be driving when the crash took place. Hurley was later arrested.

Last night, things only got worse for Jones. The senior out of Nickerson High School in Kansas received an MRI, giving a deeper detail on the severity of her injuries from the crash. According to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, all four major ligaments in both of her knees were torn.

The news isn't good, based on what Head Coach for the Hawkeyes, Lisa Bluder told the Gazette:

I doubt she will ever play basketball again.

Bluder added this to the university’s Presidential Committee on Athletics on Thursday:

I can’t believe she was walking. The doctor said, ‘I’ve never seen a person come in here with four torn ligaments in a knee and not be crying.’

One positive to take away from the story is that whether or not Jones is able to take to the court at any point during her tenure in Iowa City, the Hawkeye women's basketball program will honor her scholarship.

Bluder said this of remaining steadfast in honoring the scholarship:

She’s still somebody that we are going to have as a part of our program because we believe in her. She committed to us, and just because she had something bad happen to her doesn’t mean that we turn our back on her. We’ll be there for her and her family as much as we can.

After the passing of her father in July, a GoFundMe was launched where, according to the page, "funds will go directly to the family and help support them during their extensive recovery." The family has received over $150,000 in donations.