UCLA power forward David Wear sprains ankle in practice

Los Angeles, CA, United States (4E Sports) – Less than two weeks after guard Tyler Lamb underwent knee surgery, another UCLA player went down with injury as forward David Wear sprained his right ankle during practice Sunday.

The school announced that Wear will undergo X-rays and further evaluation to determine the extent of the injury.

Wear averaged 10.2 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds in his first season with the Bruins after transferring with twin brother Travis from North Carolina. He is expected to play major minutes at the power forward spot this season.

Wear scored 22 points and 15 rebounds in the Bruins’ 116-67 victory over Tsinghua University in one of UCLA’s three exhibition games China last August.

He scored six points in UCLA’s 72-31 win over Shanghai Jiao Tong University and had four points in the Bruins’ 92-63 win over the Shanghai Sharks.

UCLA, No. 13 in the preseason coaches’ poll, opens the season Nov. 9 against Indiana State in a game that will mark the re-opening of a renovated Pauley Pavilion.

The Bruins will play without Lamb, who had surgery to repair cartilage in his knee, until early November. They are also awaiting an NCAA decision on the amateur certification for top recruits Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson.

Lamb played in all 33 games as a sophomore last season, averaging 9.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He missed one month after undergoing a similar procedure on the same knee on July 2, 2010.

“I’m very optimistic that Tyler will be back in four weeks,” head coach Ben Howland said. “He’s going to be very diligent with his rehab, and we are hopeful that this will be a quick and successful procedure. He had similar surgery on this knee the summer before his freshman year, and he quickly recovered from that.”

Lamb averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in three games in China.

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