By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Usman Garuba has been sidelined indefinitely with a left wrist injury and may require surgery, explained Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas.
“He fell,” said Silas, “I was talking to him about it. He was like, ‘Yeah, I fell, and I didn’t think it was that bad.’ But it turns out it’s pretty bad. He’s going to be out for a while. There is some talk about him needing surgery.”
Garuba, 19, was selected with the 23rd overall pick of the 2021 NBA draft by the Rockets. Making his way to 15 NBA games, he produced 1.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 7.0 minutes per Regular Season contest. On assignment to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, he averaged 9.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game over 11 appearances.
Garuba was named EuroLeague Rising Star and ACB Best Young Player completing his run with Real Madrid in 2021. After sporadic appearances in 2018-19, he completed the jump from the reserve team spending 2019-20 and 2020-21 with the senior team of the Whites. His young age helped break multiple records, including surpassing Luka Doncic as Madrid’s youngest-ever starter.
At the international level, he played for Spain in the 2020 Olympic Games held last summer in Tokyo. His debut with the senior national team followed his successful run at the junior level. At 14, he had led Spain to the gold medal in the 2016 FIBA U16 European championship as the MVP. He went on to capture silver in the 2018 FIBA U16 European championship and won gold again in the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship.
UPDATE: Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Garuba will undergo right wrist surgery and is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks of action.
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