Ariel Hukporti tore his Achilles in an NBL Blitz match against the Perth Wildcats and will be forced to miss the entire 2022-23 NBL season.
The hopes of making it to the NBA took a hit last night for Ariel Hukporti.
Ariel Hukporti
| Position: | C |
| Age: | 20 |
| Height: | 213 cm |
| Weight: | 114 kg |
| Place of birth: | Germany |
The Melbourne United center tore his Achilles in an NBL Blitz match against the Perth Wildcats and will miss the entire 2022-23 NBL season.
Up by double digits, Hukporti fell awkwardly to the ground near the free-throw line while on offense. He immediately grabbed his left foot, looking to see if he was kicked. He couldn’t put any weight on his foot and was later carried to the locker room.
“We’re hurting as a club because of the love we have for Ariel and how much he means to us, not just as an athlete, but as a great person,” United head coach Dean Vickerman said.
“We are devastated for Ariel and wish him a speedy and successful recovery,” expressed league commissioner Jeremy Loeliger. “Ariel is young, strong, and supremely talented and will bounce back from this latest setback.”
Hukporti is part of the Next Stars program in the NBL. He averaged 7.2 points and 5 rebounds during the last season for the United. You can learn more about the NBL, the NBL Blitz, the Next Stars program, and more in our overview here.