The NBA season has featured many injuries to begin the year, and now one of the league’s brightest stars joins the list.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had to leave the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday night after appearing to injure his groin. Antetokounmpo was off to a strong start this season, averaging over 32 PPG and 11 RPG, and is one of the early candidates for league MVP.
If Antetokounmpo must miss time, it will be a crushing blow to a Bucks team currently in a tight Eastern Conference. Here’s the latest on Antetokounmpo’s injury.
MORE: Victor Wembanyama sidelined with calf strain
In the first half of Monday night’s game against the Cavaliers, Giannis Antetokounmpo was forced to leave the game with a left groin injury. Antetokounmpo suffered the injury during a play, then intentionally fouled a player so he could leave the game.
While walking off the court, Antetokounmpo grabbed at his groin and immediately headed to the locker room.
That’s the moment Giannis got hurt and left for the locker-room pic.twitter.com/R6J177bkaB
After the game, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo will undergo an MRI to determine the injury’s severity.
“We won’t know anything until tomorrow,” Rivers said. “Didn’t look great, I can tell you that.”
The Bucks immediately ruled Antetokounmpo out for the game with a groin strain, a bad sign for Antetokounmpo’s diagnosis.
Groin strains typically require at least a few weeks to heal, and they could force players to be sidelined for months at a time if the injury is serious. Antetokounmpo’s status will depend on how severe the injury turns out.
MORE: When will LeBron James return from injury?
Here’s a look at the next 10 games on the Bucks’ schedule.
Daniel Chavkin is a Digital Content Producer for The Sporting News. A 2018 graduate from the University of Maryland, he has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports and NFLTradeRumors.com.