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Dajuan Coleman is a veteran at this point. It’s his fifth year with the Syracuse basketball program and he’s had about as volatile career as one could imagine. His resume includes as many Final Fours (two) as season ending knee injuries, denoting the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
Recently he’s been used sparingly — he’s barely seen action since heading into league play. But even though Dajuan had only been used for one ACC minute before Saturday’s contest against Notre Dame, he’s stayed mentally prepared.
“I came to the game prepared that I was going to get into the game,” Coleman told Mike Waters following Syracuse’s 84-66 defeat.
“That’s how I come to every game. I got into the game and did what I had to do.”
Dajuan finished the game with 5 points and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes. He’s been out of the lineup because his knees have been slowing him down in practice; he’s just not as mobile in there according to Jim Boeheim.
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“Defensively he can’t move his feet,” Boeheim opined after the Notre Dame game. But if you ask Coleman, it’s just something he has to work through.
“It’s just something you’ve got to play through. After my injuries, it’s normal to get sore so I’ve just got to play through it. Of course it’s frustrating, but it’s just something I’ve got to deal with and play through.”
Despite how limited his career has been because of his knees, his character hasn’t wavered. You have to commend Dajuan for having such an admirable attitude, especially considering everything he’s been through. Hats off.