Forward Mike Jensen reinjures shoulder during drill, out until after season begins

For the second time in his career, UW basketball forward Mike Jensen will be sidelined -- possibly until Pac-10 play begins -- after suffering a dislocated shoulder.

Jensen injured the shoulder when he collided with a teammate during a rebounding drill last Thursday. After having surgery on Monday, Jensen's arm is now relegated to a sling for the next few weeks. The senior won't be fully recovered until the end of December. UW begins Pac-10 play against Arizona State on Dec. 29, which would potentially hold Jensen out of 10 games.

"It sucks, because I put in a lot of hard work in the off season," Jensen said. "I thought it was one of the best summers I've ever had. I worked a lot on my game."

Jensen started all but one game for the Huskies last season, helping the team to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-foot-8-inch Kentwood High School product averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds.

"It's really unfortunate for Mike," said coach Lorenzo Romar. "Mike's been a three-year starter -- it's not something you want to happen."

Jensen dislocated the same shoulder -- his left -- as a freshman, an injury that also occurred in practice. That season, seeing an opportunity to pick up an extra year of eligibility, Jensen applied for, and was granted, a medical red shirt. Now in his fifth year as a Husky, Jensen said he won't seek a red shirt for a second time.

X-rays showed that the tacks used to fix Jensen's shoulder the first time had moved -- an indication that the shoulder wasn't fixed correctly or didn't heal properly. Under a new doctor and new technology, Jensen now has four staples helping heal his refurbished shoulder.

"To dislocate it again -- it was a freak thing," Jensen said. "Hopefully it won't happen again."

The Huskies have a backlog of talent to replace Jensen as the starting forward/center. Senior Jamaal Williams, who averaged 9.9 points per contest a year ago, has experience down low. Freshmen Jon Brockman and Artem Wallace, along with red-shirt freshman Zach Johnson, could also compete for time at the position.

"It gives some other guys opportunities to step up, to get more experience," Romar said.

Official team practices begin Oct. 14. Washington's first game, an exhibition contest against Simon Fraser, is Nov. 6.