Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward suffered an injury during the first game of the season. NBA players are paying their respects to him on Twitter.
We’re not even through two quarters of the first game of the 2017-18 NBA season and we have what will almost certainly be the worst injury of the season. In his first game with the Boston Celtics, small forward Gordon Hayward breaks his leg going up for an alley-oop.
With the way his leg looks after crashing to the hardwood, there’s no way he’s playing for the rest of the season. If you haven’t seen the video yet, don’t, as it’s on par with what happened to Paul George in Las Vegas playing for the United States Men’s National Team a few years ago.
George and several other NBA players immediately took to Twitter to show their respect for Hayward and even offer a few prayers. Players like CJ McCollum, Enes Kanter, Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan let Hayward and his camp know that they are thinking about him.
This was the first NBA game that Hayward had played in not wearing a Utah Jazz uniform. The former Butler Bulldogs standout signed with the Celtics during unrestricted free agency. He was the biggest name to switch teams via free agency this summer.
He picked Boston over Utah and the Miami Heat. A big reason for this was Hayward would have the opportunity to play for his former college coach in Brad Stevens. Boston made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.
Adding Hayward was thought to be a step in the right direction for Boston to overtake Cleveland in the East. Fate would have it that Hayward would break his leg on opening night at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland against the Cavaliers.
Naw G! 😰
— Paul George (@Yg_Trece) October 18, 2017
Naw G! 😰
— Paul George (@Yg_Trece) October 18, 2017
Prayers up for you @gordonhayward
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) October 18, 2017
Praying for my guy @gordonhayward!!! NEVER want to see any of the guys go through anything like that.
— DeAndre Jordan 🐺 (@DeAndre) October 18, 2017
Wow smh prayers up to @gordonhayward may God give you strength during this time.
— Victor Oladipo (@VicOladipo) October 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/QuincyPondexter/status/920447987607851008
God please be with @gordonhayward 🙏🏾
— Harry Giles III (@HGiiizzle) October 18, 2017
Lord , Carry Him Now 🙏🏾@gordonhayward pic.twitter.com/jEnvghETW1
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) October 18, 2017
Prayers up @gordonhayward
— Kyle O'Quinn (@Kyle_OQuinn) October 18, 2017
Prayers up for @gordonhayward man. Hate to see something like that
— Robert Covington (@Holla_At_Rob33) October 18, 2017
Prayers to my brother @gordonhayward 🙏 pic.twitter.com/WigEE3BFPP
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) October 18, 2017
Prayers Up for @gordonhayward 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
— Buddy Love !!!! (@buddyhield) October 18, 2017
Prayers up for Gordon Hayward !!! 🙏🏽
— Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) October 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/DGreen_14/status/920445553804234753
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 @gordonhayward. Only God has ALL the answers.
— Shaun Livingston (@ShaunLivingston) October 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/GTMGH3/status/920449320603799553
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Nothing good comes from seeing one of the 25 best players in the NBA succumb to an injury as ghastly as this. Boston will do its best to overcome Hayward’s loss, but his injury severely dampers their chances at reaching the conference and NBA Finals.