Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells will have a long road back. He’s likely to now miss the complete NBA season after injuring his left leg in a freak injury in Tuesday’s contest with the Charlotte Hornets. Wells fell very aggressively and was severely injured. As a result, he broke his right wrist, suffered a concussion, and incurred about a six-inch facial laceration requiring immediate reconstructive surgery.
The injury happened in the second quarter after Wells received an outlet pass from fellow Memphis teammate Ja Morant. As he tried to readjust to recover his balance, he overcorrected and ended up crashing while falling sideways. His head struck the wood court down by the baseline. This rather extreme event is what led to the fear of contracting CTE spreading amongst players and coaches on each team.
Emergency medical personnel attended to Wells on the court. After nearly eight minutes of providing medical assistance, they began to hoist him off the ground. The extent of his injuries was later confirmed by team officials, who announced that he would be sidelined for the season as he begins recovery. The onus of this news will be felt most heavily by the Grizzlies. Wells has been an unsung hero for the team this season.
On the court, Wells has been very successful, averaging 10.4 points per game. He adds 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists, highlighting his well-rounded game. Known for his defensive capabilities, he has emerged as the Grizzlies’ top perimeter defender and one of the league’s standout rookies. His leadership will be sorely missed as they continue to hope for success in what’s left of the season.
The Grizzlies will have to change the makeup of their roster and their style of gameplay moving forward, given Wells’ injuries. Coach Taylor Jenkins expressed concern for his player and acknowledged the challenges ahead for the team without one of its leading contributors.
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