Julius Randle, a rookie in the NBA with big hopes and big dreams, was waiting on his first big break with the pros. Unfortunately, it came much differently than he expected when he ended up breaking his right leg in his first-ever NBA game with the Los Angeles Lakers on October 28.
Even though the full status of Randle has yet to be updated following the broken leg, the LA Times have already said that he’ll “ probably ” be gone for the season.
The break happened during the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ opening night game which ended with a 108-90 loss to the Houston Rockets. ESPN reported that Randle did indeed suffer a clean break of the tibia and was scheduled to have surgery on Wednesday morning.
“It is heartbreaking, because I saw him all summer,” coach Byron Scott said. “I saw the work that he was putting in. I saw the progression that he was making, the steps that he was taking to get better. And his first game, he goes down. I don’t think anybody in that locker room is happy about the way we played, but we’re even more saddened about the fact that we lost one of our young guys.”
Randle was driving to the basket in the fourth quarter when he was met by two defenders from the Rockets. His right leg buckled as he stepped to go into the air and he collapsed down onto the court as he landed. Some players claim to have heard a “pop” when Randle’s leg gave way.
He sat on the floor for a few minutes as players from both teams surrounded him and the trainers. A hush fell over the crowd at the Staples Center when a stretcher was brought out and he was laid onto it.
Before the injury, Randle played 14 minutes for the Lakers and scored two points on 1-of-3 shooting.
The 19-year-old phenom out of the University of Kentucky was chosen seventh overall in the NBA Draft back in June. Julius Randle was expected to bring some much needed energy and talent to a Lakers’ squad that has seen its league dominance fade over the past couple of years.
Los Angeles has already had to deal with a big blow this season when point guard Steve Nash was ruled out for the season due to a back injury. He had dealt with it for the majority of last year, but then aggravated it when he tried to carry some bags during the preseason.
[Image via TNT/SBNation]