UNLV’s Rob Whaley Jr. Faces Uncertain Season After Back Injury: Rehab vs. Medical Redshirt Decision
Rob Whaley Jr. watches from the bench, now missing his 11th game in a row for UNLV. The forward only played 23 minutes in two games this season before a back injury put him out of action.
Whaley Jr.’s rehabilitation requires him to stay home for treatment rather than traveling with the team. His return remains uncertain as the season continues.
Coach Kevin Kruger expressed the importance of prioritizing Whaley Jr.’s recovery, stating that “sitting on the plane for a length of time kind of bothered him a couple trips ago, so we figured it better for him to stay back and get some rest and rehab,” according to the Las Vegas Sun.
The former junior college star might need to opt for a medical redshirt – meaning his next time playing would be in 2025-26, whether at UNLV or with another team through the transfer portal.
NCAA medical redshirt eligibility rules are straightforward: players cannot participate in more than 30% of games and not play in the second half of the season. Whaley will meet these conditions if he stays sidelined.
Still, the team needs Whaley Jr. Last season, he was on fire, shooting 61.1%, putting up 7.6 points and grabbing 3.6 rebounds per game. He was the team’s fourth-best rebounder.
His absence hurts the Rebels’ chances of making their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2012-13. But while Whaley Jr. focuses on recovery, the coaches must adjust their strategy.
Kruger told the Las Vegas Sun, “As a coach preparing, you can’t really circle a date on a calendar and say Rob will be back on this date.” The team plans to continue preparing for the tournament with or without Whaley Jr.
