Top-five picks Scoot Henderson, Amen Thompson exit NBA Summer League game with injuries
LAS VEGAS — Two of the NBA's top four picks in the 2023 draft suffered injuries in their Las Vegas Summer League debuts.
No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson exited the Portland Trail Blazers' summer league game against the Houston Rockets on Friday with a right shoulder injury, according to the team. Henderson finished with 15 points, six assists and five rebounds in 21 minutes of play. He shot 5 of 13 from the field.
No. 4 overall pick Amen Thompson of the Rockets left the game late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. He limped off the floor after a hard fall. Thompson finished with 16 points, five assists and four rebounds in 28 minutes. He also had three steals and four blocks.
It's unclear when Henderson suffered his injury or if it will keep him out the rest of Summer League. TNT's Chris Haynes reported that Henderson was set to have an MRI on his shoulder but said there was "optimism" it isn't dislocated. Whether Thompson, who said after the game that his ankle was "pretty sore," returns for the rest of Summer League is up to the Rockets' training staff, ESPN reported. Thompson will reportedly have an MRI on Saturday.
The top picks began the night defending each other. Henderson started the game with four straight made field goals in a row, including two step-back jumpers over Thompson.
The Trail Blazers next play No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. Thompson and the Rockets play the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.