Mike White offers updates on injured RJ Sunahara, Jalen DeLoach

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia Basketball could be without a pair of its expected contributors for the start of the season. Forward RJ Sunahara suffered an apparent left knee injury early in Monday during the Bulldogs’ exhibition win over Eastern Kentucky. Fellow forward Jalen DeLoach was unavailable entirely with a leg injury.

After the game, head coach Mike White shared brief updates on both. With Sunahara’s injury happening in game, there wasn’t much he could share awaiting further updates while DeLoach had been dealing with the injury for a few days prior. On Thursday, just four days out from the opener against Oregon, White offered another explanation.

“Day to day. We’ll see. Hopeful that they can contribute on Monday. We need as many hands on deck as possible,” White said.

“Knee, not major, but there was an injury there. Definitely a sigh of relief because it’s something right now that doesn’t seem to be anything long term,” he added on Sunahara before saying he was hopeful DeLoach might be able to get a couple of reps in practice.

Sources tell DawgsHQ that that Sunahara’s injury one that could see him sidelined anywhere from 2-4 weeks, not ruling out the possibility of a potential return earlier though.

Both Sunahara and DeLoach are newcomers to the Bulldogs this season, among the nine the team has. A transfer in from Division II Nova Southeastern, Sunahara started the exhibition game and scored two points before exiting.

At Nova Southeastern, Sunahara helped lead the Sharks to an undefeated season and a NCAA Division II national championship last season. He averaged 18.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game on his way winning Player of the Year for the Division II ranks from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Scoring 28 points with grabbing nine rebounds, Sunahara was named NCAA Division II Final Four co-Most Outstanding Player. He also earned a spot as a First-Team All-American and the Bevo Francis Award for the top player in all divisions below Division I.

“A leader by example,” White said of Sunahara at SEC Media Days. “Not as vocal as Noah, but talk about a guy that’s just out there trying to make winning plays and gel and fit. He’s glue. He’s a very, very accountable player. Like, he’s flying to the offensive glass, he’s closing out with high hands, he’s blocking out, he’s sprinting the court. Defensively, he’s where he’s supposed to be at all times. He’s a hard-nosed, dependable, accountable player.”

“A little bit of a leap of faith, honestly. Just dead honest with you,” he added on evaluating a player like Sunahara from the Division II level as a potential transfer portal pickup. “As you’re watching synergy — he’s playing the 5, he’s being guarded by 5’s. They had a really unique style. Their tempo was incredibly fast. They pressed every possession. They’re very, very random offensively. Not quite as structured — more push it right down your throat. Five guys that can pass, dribble, shoot. It was old-school passing game if you will, right? So envisioning how he’d fit was a little bit more difficult than the other guys, especially given the level and the competition. I think what hit home the most was the winning experience, was the leadership qualities, was getting to know him as a young man, where he’s from, who his parents are, how much they won — the kid hadn’t lost in so long. We wanted that in our locker room.”

Sunahara spent four years at Nova Southeastern after initially being recruited Fairmont State University where he redshirted under head coach Joe Mazzulla. After Mazzulla moved on to the NBA – now head coach of the Boston Celtics – Sunahara landed at Nova Southeastern. He earned Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year in 2019-20 starting all 28 games in which he appeared. Then, after the 2020-21 season was cancelled due to COVID-19, Sunahara became an even bigger part of the Sharks’ success.

Over the course of two years, Nova Southeastern went 67-1. Sunahara averaged 19.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 2021-22 as his team carried an undefeated record and No. 1 ranking into the NCAA Division II Tournament where they were upset in the Elite Eight. He started and scored in double figures in all 30 games that season including 14 performances with 20+ points. Then, in 2022-23, Sunahara topped his previous career-high of 30 points three times with 32 versus Florida Southern, 36 against Eckerd and a career-high 41 in December versus Bluefield State. Sunahara made 18 of his 24 field goal attempts that night, both career highs as well. Maybe more impressively, he did not make a 3-pointer and only took one in the outing.

As for DeLoach, a transfer from VCU, he averaged 9.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game for the Rams, who finished atop the A10 conference. He scored in double-figures 19 times including a stretch of six straight in December. He did so again in four straight and five straight at the end of January and in February. He had a double-double on New Year’s Eve against La Salle, plus another four in the new year including one in the A-10 Championship Game against Dayton.

“Jalen DeLoach as well, he played the five, but we feel like he can play the four at times as well,” White previously said. “He’s coming off a 27-win season at VCU. He’s a guy who doesn’t bring as much girth, but in regard to activity, and length, he’s got great wheels for a big, can really change ends, and he’s a switchable guy, too, really, one through five.”

Should Sunahara and DeLoach be unavailable Monday for the opener, Georgia would likely have to rely more on true freshman Dylan James and returning senior M.A. Moncrieffe at the power forward position. James poured in nine points while adding five rebounds and two assists in the 99-82 win over Eastern Kentucky.

Tip time from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as a part of the Hall of Fame Series is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on truTV. Oddsmakers consider Georgia to be 4.5 point favorites over the Ducks, who were projected to finish fourth in the Pac-12.