UK’s Nerlens Noel Out for Season with Torn ACL [VIDEO]

The gruesome injury UK freshman Nerlens Noel suffered during Kentucky's loss to Florida Tuesday night has turned out to be as ugly as advertised. Noel has a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and will miss the rest of the season.

From Noel's screams that could be heard over a rowdy O'Connell Center crowd to the descriptions of the injury by Florida forward Patric Young to the site of Noel's teammates carrying him off the floor, we all knew that this was just going to be bad.

It is.

But it's not a disaster.

His knee will mend and he will have the kind of career he and we all expected him to have. And, from what I understand, he's in good spirits.

What I find interesting about the injury is how it cast a big glaring floodlight on the folly of the NBA's one-and-done policy. If this rule wasn't in place, Nerlens Noel would be in the NBA right now, with a contract, with money and a living.

No, this torn ACL won't ruin his career, but it could have. It illustrates how the possibility exists that the one-and-done rule can put a prospect at risk.

Luckily, Noel will eventually be fine and we wish him well in his recuperation.