NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Memphis point guard Ja Morant, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, left Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets in a wheelchair after what the Grizzlies later called a sprained left ankle.
Morant had risen to try to block a jump shot by Brooklyn’s French forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot with less than three minutes remaining in the first half of the game at Barclays Center.
He turned his left ankle when he landed and hopped off the court, falling to the floor near the baseline.
Moments later, Morant left the court in a wheelchair.
“Ja Morant (left ankle sprain) will not return,” the Grizzlies tweeted during halftime.
Morant, 21, was having a relatively quiet night with seven points on two of seven shooting in 13 minutes.
He’s been off to a strong start in the young season, averaging 36 points over the first two games, both Grizzlies defeats to the Atlanta Hawks and San Antonio Spurs.
© Agence France-Presse