On Friday night, the Indiana Pacers, Team USA and everyone watching cringed when they saw the way Pacers’ swingman Paul George land behind the basket during Team USA’s scrimmage in Las Vegas. George, the Pacers’ best player and a player who was thought to be a key member of the FIBA World Cup team, suffered a lower right leg fracture. The injury has since been diagnosed as an open tibia-fibula fracture and he has already had surgery on the leg. The fracture will likely cost him the entire 2014-2015 season.
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A lot has been made about the injury and many believe players won’t want to participate in international play any more. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders believes way too much is being made of George’s injury and he doesn’t believe anything will change in the wake of his injury.
"WAY TOO MUCH is being made about Paul’s injury. Something like that could happen playing pick-up. Its unfortunate and surely saddening on many levels, but it was a freak accident. NBA guys have been playing for Team USA since 1992, and we’ve never had an injury like this one.Injuries are part of the game and can happen anywhere.Now as for the owners – I think you usually don’t realize there is a problem until their is an issue. I think the subject of player safety and team’s interests get looked at as a result of Paul’s injury, but again, we’ve been doing this for a long time and I doubt seriously its going to change in a meaningful way."
Kyler’s right – players could get hurt in pickup games and it likely won’t stop players, especially younger ones, from representing their country.
Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league all summer long.