Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Kristaps Porzingis Speaks on Recovery from Foot Injury: 'I Couldn't Get Rid of the Inflammation'
Due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Kristaps Porzingis is going through a four-to-six-week rehab program.
The bad news is the Latvian Men's National Basketball Team, making their first appearance in the FIBA World Cup, are without their best player. The good news is the expectation is the former All-Star gets medically cleared by the time the Celtics start training camp.
Speaking about his injury and the recovery process with Sporta Studija Porzingis conveyed the following (translated through Google).
"The foot hurts after exercise. I feel almost nothing when walking. It's a really funny injury," expressed the seven-foot-three center. "I have an idea what the origin of the injury might be, but it's something that builds up over the course of a career and pops out at one point. It got worse during the training process - when it started to hurt, then I couldn't get rid of the inflammation either."
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Considering the NBA franchise he's joining traded Marcus Smart, the heart and soul of their team, to give Boston a big three featuring Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Porzingis, something the latter discussed with Inside The Celtics, understandably, the organization would've preferred the former fourth-overall draft pick rehab his foot injury in Boston.
Instead, he convinced the Celtics to let him stay with the Latvian National Team in a show of support for them in their first FIBA World Cup appearance.
"Boston wanted me to continue my recovery there, but I told them it was very important for me to be with the national team even though I wasn't playing. They supported my decision," he stated. "Also, there, most likely, I will have a long season ahead of me -- it is important now to spend time with my teammates in the national team (and) family at home. Boston respected all of that and supported me."
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
And while he's in the early stages of his rehab program, Porzingis said, "Feelings are good," adding, "Of course, I am not yet in such a shape that I can play and train fully. But going step by step, everything should be fine by the start of the season."
While there's understandable concern about a seven-foot-three center who the Celtics signed to a two-year, $60 million extension, having a history of lower-body injuries and now dealing with plantar fasciitis, Boston's training staff helped keep Derrick White fresh through a season where he was an iron man, playing in all 82 games; Tatum suited up for 74, and Al Horford and Robert Williams were fresh for the playoffs.
Even Malcolm Brogdon, who's had a concerning injury history, was on a plan that had his body feeling good entering the postseason. Unfortunately, he suffered a partial tear in the tendon coming out of his right elbow that leads into his forearm. That injury worsened while boxing out Kevin Love in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, derailing his production.
While there's certainly luck involved in who survives the war of attrition each season, the Celtics can look at what their training staff did for their roster in 2022-23 and have confidence in the effectiveness of the plan it puts together for Porzingis, knowing they'll also be holding their breath every time he falls to the hardwood or expresses any physical discomfort he's dealing with.
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