Broken foot a speed bump in Houston’s role in rotation
Four days had gone by before Heath Houston finally decided to take his shoe off and see what was wrong.
Houston is expected to be a key player in VCU's rotation this season.
Jim Swing
Sports Editor
Commonwealth Times’ Sports Twitter
Four days had gone by before Heath Houston finally decided to take his shoe off and see what was wrong.
The redshirt freshman had been feeling some discomfort and pain in his foot and when he removed the shoe, it was nearly two times the size it would normally be.
Houston had his foot X-rayed, and it was a broken.
After being redshirted his initial year at VCU, the 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward was mostly known for his vibrant celebration dances during the Rams’ Final Four run.
But this year, he was expected to play a much larger role.
“Heath Houston, the 7-10 days before he broke his foot, was a different person,” head coach Shaka Smart said. “He was so much more energetic and he played with more toughness and really starting to understand the things that go into winning. And we were excited because the way things were going, he was going to be a key guy in our rotation, and then he broke his foot.”
Houston originally signed with Auburn, but was released when coach Jeff Lebo resigned. From there, he joined VCU, topping off the Rams’ 2010 recruiting class.
The injury comes as a minor speed bump for Houston, who is expected to add valued depth in VCU’s youthful frontcourt this season.
He is expected to return around the start of the season, which begins on Nov. 11 when VCU takes on St. Francis (Pa.).
“I think he learned some valuable lessons,” Smart said. “I really, really hope that he comes back when he’s healthy as the guy that was playing in the 7-10 days before he broke his foot.”
