Jazz's Taylor Hendricks was stretchered off the court due to a severe non-contact leg injury during the team's loss to the Mavericks.
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Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks suffered a severe non-contact leg injury during a game against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night. While jogging near the baseline at American Airlines Center, he suddenly collapsed as his right leg buckled beneath him. It appeared that his leg snapped near the ankle, leaving his foot dangling at an unnatural angle, prompting an immediate stoppage in play as medical staff rushed to his aid.
A stretcher was quickly brought in, visibly upsetting players from both teams. The Jazz later announced that Hendricks had sustained a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle, ruling him out of the game shortly after the incident. He will return to Utah for further testing on Tuesday.
The duration of his recovery remains uncertain, but he is expected to be sidelined for an extended period. Jazz head coach Will Hardy expressed concern for Hendricks, stating, "He’s a great kid, and so we’re really just trying to focus on him, his health, keeping his spirits up as he begins the road of his recovery. But these are the moments in sports that suck."
Hendricks, selected ninth overall by the Jazz in the 2023 NBA Draft from UCF, had averaged 7.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 40 games during his rookie season. He scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in the team’s season opener last week.
In the same game, the Mavericks secured a 110-102 victory over the Jazz, with Kyrie Irving leading Dallas with 23 points and Klay Thompson contributing 18 points and four rebounds. Collin Sexton was the standout for the Jazz, scoring 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting. The Jazz now find themselves at 0-3 for the season and are set to host the Sacramento Kings next in Salt Lake City.