WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Robbie Hummel is injured again.
Purdue announced that the versatile forward will miss the upcoming season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in practice on Saturday.
It's the same knee he injured Feb. 24 against Minnesota, knocking him out for the remainder of last season. He had surgery in March and expected to be ready for his senior season.
It's a major a blow for a team many experts predicted to be a Final Four contender.
"This is obviously disappointing for Robbie, as well as our team, since he worked so hard to return from the tear he suffered in February," coach Matt Painter said. "As he begins his rehab and recovery, we'll persevere together and provide Robbie with all the support possible. I have no doubt he'll continue to play a pivotal role this season as a leader of our team."
Hummel was second on the team last season with 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds a game. The Boilermakers were ranked No. 3 in the nation when he was hurt, then stumbled at first without him, before recovering to reach the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament.
Hummel also missed significant time his sophomore year with a back injury.
"Rob does something for us offensively and defensively that balances our team," Painter said in February 2009, while Hummel was recovering from his injury. "He's a facilitator. He moves the basketball, he makes the extra pass, he gets the ball inside.
"Some of the basic things that don't show up in a box score is what we miss."
Purdue still has talented seniors E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, who decided to return after considering entering the NBA draft.
Moore, a 6-foot-4 guard, was a first-team All-Big Ten pick last season. He led the team with 16.4 points per game as the Boilermakers went 29-6 and shared the Big Ten regular-season title. He also became the third player since 1971 to lead Purdue in scoring and assists, and the first player since Troy Lewis in the late 1980s to lead the team in scoring three consecutive seasons.
Johnson, a 6-10 center, averaged 15.5 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds this past season. Purdue's career leader in blocked shots has been on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team the past two seasons, and was second-team All-Big Ten after earning first-team honors as a sophomore.