Alberto Diaz suffers knee hyperextension / News - Basketnews.com

Alberto Diaz's hyperextended knee puts his participation in FIBA World Cup 2023 at risk.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Point guard Alberto Diaz has encountered a setback. He has suffered a hyperextension in his left knee, which renders him unavailable for the upcoming Saturday game against the Dominican Republic.

The latter game is slated to be Spain's final preparation match before the FIBA World Cup 2023, starting on August 25.

The extent of Diaz's injury remains uncertain, with his condition described as "pending developments," as per the Spanish Basketball Federation.

The injury occurred during a recent exhibition game against Canada, during which Diaz was forced to leave the court in the second half due to discomfort in his knee.

This discomfort was a result of a collision with his teammate from Malaga, Melvin Ejim. In response, the 29-year-old guard underwent a series of thorough tests at a Granada hospital to accurately assess his knee injury's severity.

The absence of Diaz would be a significant blow for coach Sergio Scariolo and the Spanish NT, particularly since the squad has already faced challenges in the point guard position. First, Lorenzo Brown was sidelined, followed by Ricky Rubio's withdrawal due to mental health.

Diaz was anticipated to be one of the two point guards representing Spain in the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup alongside Juan Nunez.

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