CLEMSON, S.C. - The next time Elton Brand sits on Duke's bench, it might not be in street clothes.
The 6-foot-8 freshman center told the media Wednesday evening that there is "a slight chance" he will be ready to play as early as Sunday's game against UCLA.
The news came one day after Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski stated on national television that Brand was healing quickly from a broken foot suffered in late December and could be back by "tournament time."
Brand's announcement moves up his possible return by two weeks.
"Right now, I'm about 60-70 percent and I still get tired a lot," said Brand, who was the team's leading scorer and rebounder at the time of the injury. "Once I get two weeks of hard practice under my belt, I'll be back in game shape."
Brand said that his doctors informed him from the outset that a return this season would be nearly impossible. Still, Brand said he "never gave up hope and just stayed positive."
Despite Brand's excitement, no target date has been set for his return, and his condition will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
The freshman standout said that he currently feels no pain in the foot and is capable of a full range of motion including "sliding, cutting, zig-zagging and slashing."
The Blue Devils have rung up a 14-1 record in Brand's absence, and his return is sure to shake things up. In Duke's first 11 games, Brand averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocked shots and 2.0 steals.
"When I was in there, the team was used to me," Brand said. "Now they're not used to having me in there. We all have to work hard to make sure it is a smooth transition."
The News & Observer of Raleigh contributed to this story.
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