At this point, the Boston Celtics should brace for impact any time one of their players is involved in any FIBA competition. Last year, it was Danilo Gallinari tearing his ACL while playing for Italy in a World Cup qualifier. Now, it’s Kristaps Porzingis, who had to withdraw from the World Cup due to an ongoing case of plantar fasciitis. The big man announced the decision to sit out of the competition on Tuesday afternoon.
“It is difficult, I feel very responsible to myself and the supporters of the Latvian national team, but a decision has been made that I will not play in the World Cup,” Porzingis said in a translated tweet. “After several weeks of recovery and a repeat MRI examination, the plantar fasciitis of my foot still prevents me from being on the field in full readiness. This joint decision has been made by both the medical staff and coaching staff of the national team, as well as the Celtics team – with the advice and opinion that it is now necessary to continue the recovery process. Such a decision is not easy to make, but I promise that I will be there and support the team as much as I can.”
Ir grūti, es jūtos ļoti atbildīgs savu un Latvijas valstsvienības atbalstītāju priekšā, taču ir pieņemts lēmums, ka es nespēlēšu Pasaules kausā.
Pēc vairāku nedēļu atlabšanas procesa un atkārtota MRI izmeklējuma, vēl joprojām pēdas plantārais fascīts man neļauj atrasties uz… pic.twitter.com/mvyk4Dj8lU
— Kristaps Porzingis (@kporzee) August 15, 2023
Porzingis hasn’t even played a game for the Celtics and he’s already injured — a major concern of many fans when the team traded for him earlier this summer. The three-team deal saw Boston part ways with longtime point guard Marcus Smart, sending him to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Though the news of Smart’s departure was difficult for a large chunk of the fanbase, the prospect of adding Porzingis was enough to soften the blow. The 28-year-old was coming off of what was perhaps the best season of his career. He appeared in 65 games for the Washington Wizards — his third-highest total as a pro. On top of that, he averaged a career-high in points per game, pouring in 23.2 in each contest.
Shortly after he arrived via trade, Porzingis inked a two-year, $60 million contract extension to remain in Boston through the 2025-26 campaign.
Foot injuries typically aren’t great for seven-footers, but if it makes you feel any better, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid just won an MVP after battling the same ailment.
