Former Duke first-round pick goes down with offseason injury

Former Duke Blue Devil and current Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams will be sidelined to begin the 2026-27 NBA season. According to Suns insider John Gambadoro, Williams injured his shoulder during a scrimmage, an injury that was later revealed to be a torn labrum. Williams has already undergone a successful surgery; however, he will be sidelined for “several months” with no timetable for return at the moment.

In his first season with the Suns last season, Williams averaged 11.7 points, eight rebounds, one assist, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks. In his place, Oso Ighodaro will be expected to start.

Williams’ injury will open up more opportunities for another Duke alum, former No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach, who dominated for the Suns during the 2026 NBA Summer League. During his rookie season, Maluach averaged three points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in just 8.9 minutes per game.

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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Former Duke first-round pick goes down with offseason injury