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SALT LAKE CITY — Frank Jackson's first action in the NBA looks likely to be delayed.
The former Lone Peak and Duke University basketball star guard, drafted as the first pick in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft, broke his foot and will undergo surgery Friday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
This isn't the first foot issue for Jackson. He underwent a procedure on the same right foot in May after a good performance in the NBA Combine. The initial surgery disrupted his draft workout process and caused some trepidation among teams who may have been interested in him late in the first round.
Now, Jackson will likely miss all of the Pelicans' training camp and preseason, according to The New Orleans Advocate. Given the recovery time for previous foot surgeries, it is nearly certain Jackson will be forced to miss NBA regular season action as well, which is just over six weeks away.
Jackson had signed a three-year, $3.8 million contract with the Pelicans after being drafted this summer. Both of the first two years of the deal, as well as $500K of his third year, were listed as guaranteed. However, ESPN's Bobby Marks reports Jackson has an "Exhibit 3: Prior Injury Exclusion" clause in his contract, which will reduce what he is owed if Jackson has a recurring right foot injury.
For Lone Peak, Jackson was named a McDonald's All-American after a senior season in which he averaged 28.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game for the Knights. That success led Jackson to signing with Duke, where he scored 10.9 points per game in a sixth-man role before declaring for the draft this spring.
