Philadelphia 76ers rookie Zhaire Smith will undergo surgery on his left foot after suffering a fracture, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports:
Philadelphia 76ers rookie Zhaire Smith has suffered a Jones fracture in his left foot and will undergo surgery, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Smith, 19, suffered the injury Monday in Las Vegas during longtime NBA coach Tim Grgurich’s developmental camp for NBA players and returned to Philadelphia on Tuesday for an MRI. Tests revealed the Jones fracture and surgery is tentatively scheduled for later this week, league sources said. Smith will also visit another foot specialist this week, league sources said.
Smith, whom the Sixers acquired on draft day from the Phoenix Suns, went 16th overall in the draft.
Smith, 6-foot-5, is an explosive leaper who averaged 11.3 points and five rebounds per game on 55.6 percent shooting from the field in his lone collegiate season at Texas Tech.
Unfortunately, rookie injuries are nothing new to the Sixers. Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz and Nerlens Noel were all top-draft picks whom were severely struck by the injury bug.
Smith is one of seven NBA players, and one of four rookies, to sign a sneaker deal with Puma this offseason.
