US star Paul George badly injured in exhibition
Right leg of Pacers player buckles horribly as he lands hard during an intra-squad scrimmage
Indiana Pacers star Paul George suffered a grisly lower right leg injury in a United States intra-squad scrimmage in preparation for the Basketball World Cup.
The injury was bad enough that the exhibition before fans in Las Vegas was halted and George was taken to hospital.
He later underwent successful surgery for a broken leg and is expected to remain in hospital for about three days. Doctors estimate a full recovery could take as much as 18 months.
He later tweeted his thanks for the outpouring of concern he received. "Thanks everybody for the love and support.. I'll be OK and be back better than ever!!!" he said.
Although he was upbeat, the reaction from those who saw the injury occur - either first-hand or via video replays - showed just how shocking it was.
"It was difficult to watch the injury that Paul George sustained tonight while representing his country," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "The thoughts and prayers of all of us at the NBA are with Paul and his family."
The Pacers small forward landed hard and his leg buckled horribly near the basket stanchion after he had fouled James Harden on a drive early in the fourth quarter.