Well, that ended just about as quickly as it began.
New York Knicks rookie center Ariel Hukporti is expected to miss four-to-six weeks after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee during his first career start against the Philadelphia 76ers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Hukporti, 22, has shown flashes of becoming a legitimate NBA-level player in limited opportunity on the court this season. He recorded 8 points (4-5 FG), 2 rebounds, and 1 block in just 16 minutes of action before exiting the game due to injury Wednesday night.
The young big man was also sidelined for the entirety of the 2022-23 NBL season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon while still a member of Melbourne United.
His injury history factored into his falling to the Knicks with the 58th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Barely old enough to buy a drink in the US, Hukporti is beginning to accumulate a worrying list of lower body injuries for a 7-footer.
While seemingly minute for an injury of this status, the return timetable of four to six weeks throws a wrench into what was shaping up to be a crucial developmental stretch of the season for Hukporti and could potentially see him miss the postseason altogether if the recovery process doesn’t go as smoothly as the Knicks are anticipating.
The Knicks are now down another man in their already imbalanced lineup, which will make the home stretch of the regular season even more interesting for New York.
Eyes will continue to look toward center Mitchell Robinson. Sources familiar with the team are hoping Robinson will make his season debut in the Knicks’ next game, this Friday at Memphis against the Grizzlies.
Better yet, if he can make a commanding statement in his return to the lineup and have a positive impact on the squad’s success for the remainder of the season, the New York Knicks could finally and potentially figure things out on the defensive end of the floor.