SUMMARY
- Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward is currently sidelined with a left calf strain.
- Hayward's injury occurred during a game against the LA Clippers, leading to his early exit from the match.
Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward is currently out with a left calf strain and was initially expected to miss a total of seven games. The team announced that Hayward’s condition will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He has already been absent for five of these games.
At 33, Hayward has been a key player for the Hornets this season, maintaining a relatively healthy run in the first two months. His injury happened during a match against the LA Clippers, which led to his early exit from the game. With about four minutes left in the third quarter, Hayward was substituted after fouling on Amir Coffey. In his 25 minutes on the court, he finished with eight points, two rebounds, five assists, and a steal.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets forward Gordon Hayward left in the 3Q of tonight’s game at LAC with a left calf strain. He will not return.
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) December 27, 2023
The Hornets have been challenged by injuries this season, with players like LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller also dealing with various ailments. Ball has been out since November 26 due to a sprained right ankle. Williams has been sidelined since December 8 with a back injury, while Miller suffered a right ankle sprain on December 23 against the Denver Nuggets. Hayward is expected to return to play on January 12th in the game against the San Antonio Spurs if his recovery goes as planned.
Gordon Hayward talks about dealing with a major leg injury
Gordon Hayward’s career has been affected by injuries, most notably a serious leg injury during his time with the Boston Celtics. In an appearance on a podcast with Paul George, Hayward shared the mental and physical challenges he faced during his recovery.
After signing a four-year, $128 million contract with the Celtics in July 2017, Hayward suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle in his left leg less than six minutes into the Celtics’ regular-season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was later ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery. Also, he had a second surgery in March 2018 due to a difficult recovery.
Paul George and Gordon Hayward speak on their injuries 🗣️
PG: “After that injury I never felt I was the same… I never was quite able to get back what I lost.”
GH: “You’re not the same player when you go through an injury like that.”
(via @PodcastPShow)pic.twitter.com/U6v0wldbYa
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 2, 2024
“It gets lonely and to be honest, that was the first time that I had been significantly injured. Nothing that big where you’re not playing for the whole year. It’s draining mentally and exhausting.” Hayward said. “It was even harder the next year when I’m coming back because then you’re not all the way physically where you were but you’re able to still play.”
Talking about his experience, Hayward highlighted the mental impact of such a significant injury. For someone who had never faced a major injury before, the isolation and the shift from active play to basic rehab exercises were mentally draining. He also highlighted the difficulty of regaining confidence and form in the following season.