CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — Hand specialists recommend surgery for Chicago Bulls forward Wendell Carter Jr., an operation that could sideline the teen rookie for eight to 12 weeks, the NBA club announced Friday.
Carter, averaging 10.3 points and 7.0 rebounds a game in 44 appearances, suffered a left thumb injury Tuesday in a 107-100 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
An MRI exam brought an initial diagnosis of an acute thumb sprain, but Carter was re-examined by doctors John Fernandez and Mark Cohen on Friday and tests found instability that surgery could address.
With a recovery time of two to three months, Carter could be lost for the season or at best return for the final three weeks of the campaign.
Carter, a stalwart on defense who also produced 1.8 assists and 1.3 blocked shots a game, is the son of a former Dominican Republic pro player and his mother was a college standout.
Carter, who helped the US under-17 team win a world title in Spain in 2016, was taken with the seventh overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft by the Bulls, who have the second-worst record in the NBA at 10-35.
© Agence France-Presse