Frosh Montaya Dew's UA hoops debut delayed, but ACL rehab underway after 'devastating' injury

Montaya Dew was on a mission; she had it all mapped out:

First, graduate from high school a semester early — she finished up at Las Vegas Centennial in December.

Then, head to her dream college, and spend the next few months at Arizona learning the Wildcats’ system so that come the following fall, she was ready to earn plenty of playing time and show out.

The anticipation was building for the highest-rated recruit — No. 8 by ESPN’s HoopGurlz — in the Wildcats’ highest-ranked class to finally take the court for the UA women’s basketball program in McKale Center; that’s a group of freshmen that also includes Breya Cunningham, Jada Williams and Skylar Jones.

But as the 6-2 Dew was boxing out in a practice session in August, all it took was one odd mashup. She fell, and it hurt — a lot; like nothing she’d ever experienced.

Soon enough, she learned she tore her ACL in her left knee.

Dew had surgery on Aug. 12. Her planned freshman debut in a Wildcat uniform on Oct. 25 — UA’s first exhibition game is that night against West Texas A&M — is now delayed a year.

While none of this has been easy for the 19-year-old, she quickly adapted to her situation and set a new goal of recovering the fastest from an ACL injury than any other basketball player.

By all accounts, the Miami Heat’s Kyle Lowry, who tore his ACL at Villanova, might hold the record. It took him four months to get back on the court.

While that is a lofty goal, it only took Dew around four weeks to walk without a brace or crutches.

“I just want to beat that (recovery time),” Dew said. “I want to have that motivation to just keep going and not give up. And I know my mom would want me to be out here this year, so I’m just really doing it for her.”

Dew’s mom passed away at the beginning of the year after a long illness. She became a Wildcat (with her mom’s blessing), and Dew said UA coach Adia Barnes and her teammates have been like a “second family” to her through all of it — whether by having someone to talk to or even being invited over to her coach’s house “just so I am not alone.”

She is staying close to her teammates and continuing to build that chemistry by participating in all team activities — even when she was in a brace or using crutches.

Barnes said she was “devastated” by the news of Dew’s injury.

“Montaya has gone through so much — losing her mom last year and coming here in December from high school when she would have probably been McDonald’s All-American — and then for her to get hurt,” Barnes said. “And she looked so good. She was going to play a lot this year. (She) was going to have a really good role.

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“But she’s doing awesome rehabbing and I’m optimistic about having her for four more years.”

Even with Dew’s goal of that quick recovery, Barnes told her more realistically, it will take a full nine months. Barnes, who had this injury herself during her playing days, has said that really takes a full two years for an athlete to get fully back.

However, they do expect to have Dew practicing with the team around February, if all goes to plan. Barnes is always cautious with injuries and never rushes anyone back. In this case, Dew will sit out the entire season, regardless, to keep the full year of eligibility.

Dew admitted it was hard for her to sit still and let her knee heal after surgery. Now, despite having basic mobility, she is in the next phase of hard stuff.

“It kind of sucks sitting on the side watching everyone do what you love,” she said. “In the beginning it was hard as I wasn’t able to bend it for a few weeks.”

“It was really just focusing on rehab and trying to get better. It was hard not to do the simple things like take a shower or anything like that,” she added. “My sister was out here and she really helped me. Bart (Jameson), our trainer, has helped. It’s just been a long process. We did a lot of icing and now we are working up to running on the treadmill on the pool. A lot of bending my knee to get the flexion back now.”

Big numbers: 7 and 13

Barnes has coached a total of 13 Wildcats who have gone on to play professional basketball around the globe. Currently, there are seven active players starting with arguably the greatest Wildcat of them all: Aari McDonald. McDonald, who finished her season with the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream in September after losing in the playoffs to the Dallas Wings, is spending her offseason with the Perth Lynx in Australia’s top league, the Women’s National Basketball League.

The other active Wildcats: Trinity Baptiste with Bursa (Turkey); Cate Reese with Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen (Belgium); Shaina Pellington with Sanga Milano (Italy); Jade Loville with Gran Canaria (Spain); Dejza James with Lulea Basket (Sweden) and Mara Mote with Rigas Stradina Universitate (Latvia).

Former Wildcats who played for Barnes but have since retired from their professional careers: Sam Thomas (United States, in the WNBA, and Italy, 2022-23); Dominique McBryde (Hungary, Greece and New Zealand, 2020-23); LaBrittney Jones (Switzerland, 2019-20); Amari Carter (United Kingdom, 2021); JaLea Bennett (Germany, 2018-2019) and Malena Washington (Czech Republic, Australia 2017-18).

Nearly 1,500 at McKale for open practice

Nearly 1,500 fans showed up to UA’s open practice at McKale Center on Thursday afternoon. Barnes donned a mic and did play-by-play as the Wildcats ran through a few drills. She praised and corrected her players, while explaining what they were trying to do. Then, it was onto introductions of her staff and players, as well as a little Q&A. The Wildcats finished off by signing autographs. As fans walked out of the arena, mini 2021 Final Four banners were handed out.