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The Utah Jazz player is stretchered off the court after breaking his leg
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The Utah Jazz player is stretchered off the court after breaking his leg

Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks suffered a season-ending foot injury during Monday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The crowd at the American Airlines Center in Dallas went quiet after Hendricks collapsed to the floor midway through the third quarter, writhing in pain as his right leg came out of his body at a gruesome angle.

The 20-year-old second-year player was immediately carted off the court by paramedics and medical staff members for both teams, while Jazz and Mavs players stood in apparent shock at the freak, non-contact injury.

After losing the game 110-102, Jazz personnel confirmed that Hendricks fractured his fibula and sprained his ankle, ESPN reported.

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Jazz head coach Will Hardy told reporters that Hendricks will return to Utah with the team and seek further testing.

“It’s hard to bear,” Hardy said. “He worked very hard. He’s a great kid, so we’re just trying to focus on him, on his health, on keeping him awake, in high spirits as he begins the road to recovery. But these are the moments in sports that are gross.”

Taylor Hendricks.

Richard Rodriguez/Getty


Hendricks’ teammates echoed Hardy’s sentiments about the player, who was the ninth pick out of the University of Central Florida in the 2023 NBA draft.

“Super unfortunate,” Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen said. “We’re all here for him. It sucks that we lost, but he’s more important than that. We know how hard he’s worked all summer to get ready for this opportunity, so it’s definitely hard for him. We’re going to I’m staying here for him and to support him.”