Miami center Reggie Johnson out 5-6 months after knee surgery

Miami center Reggie Johnson tore the meniscus in his knee during a pickup basketball game this week and will miss five to six months recovering from the injury, the school announced.

Johnson, who was playing the pickup game with teammates, underwent surgery to fix the injury on Thursday.

"We're obviously extremely disappointed for Reggie," new Miami coach Jim Larranaga said in a statement. "He's a big, strong player who has grown into a vital member of this team, and he was injured while working on improving his skills. He is a positive young man, and will work with our top-notch medical staff in rehabilitating the knee and returning to basketball. It's too early to set a precise timeline on his return, but we are optimistic he will be back on the court as soon as possible, most likely by the beginning of conference play."

Johnson had considered entering the NBA draft this year before ultimately deciding to return to Miami for his junior year. Last season, he averaged 11.9 points and led the Hurrcanes with 9.6 rebounds a game.

Johnson's absence is a blow to the Hurricanes, who have aspirations of returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008.