CU Buffs Basketball: Javon Ruffin out for 2023-24 season with a knee injury

Javon Ruffin will have to wait another season to see the court.

Colorado’s guard received devastating news this week on a knee issue that has plagued since 2021. He'll be out the entire 2023-24 season with an undetermined future in Boulder.

“It sucks. I just love playing basketball, and that’s the reason I’m here,” Ruffin told BuffZone. “It sucks having that taken away from me for another year. But I’m pretty optimistic about it. I didn’t feel a hundred percent before the surgery. Even all last year. I’m just hoping that this can get me back close to 100% as I can be.”

Ruffin, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound recruit from Isidore Newman High School in his hometown of New Orleans, migrated to PHHoenix Prep in Arizona for his senior year. He came to CU as an NBA legacy with his father, Michael Ruffin, playing nine years in the league.

Ruffin initially suffered a dislocated kneecap while in Phoenix and needed a couple of clean-up rounds to repair damage. He has been held out a majority of the time with 24 games of work since joining the Buffs.

Colorado plays the waiting game with Ruffin to see if his injury heals in time. Both sides are confident he'll be ready to go at the end of next year. Either way, it's a huge loss for Tad Boyle and the program going into a key season.

Ruffin committed to CU as part of the 2021 recruiting class and was ranked 13th in the nation by 247Sports.