So how do we replace Kennedy next year? Transfer portal?

Taya

Good question.   Transfers would need to be grad or jc transfer to be able to play right away.   Jc transfers are marginally successful at best,   look at our recent example.   It is rare to find an immediate contributor. 

Grad transfers are a one and done.  For every moore there are several that end up filling the bench.   

There may be an international player for the spring period. 

I really hope that Jelena can play.   I hope I'm wrong but I'm beginning to think we'll never see Andrea play.

I don’t think we can assume ‘more than 8-9 months’. I looked up medical site and they indicated 4-6 months is average , with ‘more severe, and surgical approach differences, pushing some out to 9 months.
But, I get your point -we need some big bodies and some shooters. Transfer portal may be one way because I have seen some real contributors ( Arizona grad transfer as a recent example. Can’t recall her name - but she was unconscious !

ACLs and the surgery aren't specific... there are a ton of variables. It is not just the ACl, but procedure chosen, graft, graft site stability if not using a foreign graft, plus any other work that might be found once inside.... meniscus tears, cartilage damage. Some grafts do not take and heal fully as fast due to many factors and why 9 months is the new minimum go to for returning IF all rehab and physical therapy and proper progression has been followed.

Then there is the issue of the athletes conditioning and strength levels being built back for high stress sports such as basketball. If she was a baseball player, 6 months is not out of the question. If she were a pure back to the basket post that wasn't highly mobile to begin with, 9 month for sure all other variables considered. But, Kennedy was a mobile 4 and if she is to get back to that and be near 100% with less chance of reinjury 10-12 months is a better bet. But, everyone heals differently.

The real issue is that even time doesn't guarantee a complete healing process and low incidence of reinjury. Medicine at this time really can't tell from the outside how well grafts take and how long they will last. Good news is she is young, bad news is that youth is sometimes impatient!

Kat tore her ACL in January 2019 and was playing in a game in mid-November 2019, ten months later. She returned perhaps too soon in order to help this season's team.

If Kennedy returns during the latter half of next season, she burns an entire year of eligibility by doing so. Makes sense to have her spend next season getting her legs strong via a redshirt year and rehab.

Totally, totally, totally agree! Most likely Kennedy will spend 9 months just recovering and gaining strength, without real opportunity to work on her game. Red shirting next season would give her the season to work on her game, and that would be huge for her next 3 seasons of Pac-12 play!

I heard maybe not even until after Pac-12 tournament.