Serbian team captain Bogdan Bogdanovic is out for the rest of EuroBasket with a torn hamstring, leaving his status for the start of Clippers training camp and beyond up in the air.
Bogdanovic suffered the injury on a drive to the basket late in the first half of a group play game against Portugal. The Clippers’ team doctors were consulted on the diagnosis — he is covered under their insurance — and it was decided that he will be out for the remainder of EuroBasket, reports Eurohoops.net.
The injury is described as a torn hamstring. Technically, any strain involves tearing of a muscle, and that can happen in degrees. This sounds like more than a Grade 1 strain, where he might have returned later in the tournament. If this is Grade 2 or Grade 3, it would keep him out at least for the start of training camp and, if severe enough, for the beginning of the season.
Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic said from the U.S. Open that he reached out to Bogdanovic after hearing the news, saying this (hat tip Clutch Points).
“The moment I read that he was injured, I contacted him immediately,” Djokovic said. “I called him again, and he told me that unfortunately it was a more serious injury. I gave him some suggestions, ways he might be able to speed up his recovery. But it doesn’t seem to be helping this time.”
Voted the team captain by his peers, Bogdanovic had 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting in Serbia’s opening EuroBasket win over Estonia, then had seven points and five rebounds before leaving the game against Portugal. Serbia beat Latvia without him, improving to 3-0 in the tournament and advancing to the knockout Round of 16. Serbia remains one of the tournament favorites behind Nikola Jokic, but losing Bogdanovic is a setback.