Latvian association clears up rumors regarding Kristaps Porzingis' injury / News - Basketnews.com

On Wednesday, a report had Kristaps Porzingis being highly questionable for the World Cup. One day later, the Latvian association decided to clarify the player's status.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Kristaps Porzingis, frequently and consistently plagued by injuries, has had his fair share of missed games over the past years.

According to a report from German journalistRupert Fabig, there were concerns that the NBA star would miss the FIBA World Cup due to a foot injury. However, Fabig noted that the decision will be made at the last moment regarding whether the big man can play or not.

If that should happen, it would be a huge blow for the Latvian national team, as Porzingis is considered the best player on their roster. However, the Latvian Basketball Association dispersed such rumors, stressing that the player is aiming to participate in the upcoming tournament.

As a matter of fact, the 28-year-old forward sat out Latvia's first two scrimmages against Sweden in Liepaja and Georgia in Riga, stirring up rumors about his potential absence from the big event. Porzingis had a stellar campaign with the Washington Wizards, averaging 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 38.5% from 3PT range. He was traded to the Boston Celtics this summer.

Latvia's next pre-WC friendly is against the Dominican Republic on Saturday, before Finland follows suit Wednesday. The squad coached by Luca Banchi will then travel to Chinese Taipei to take on Puerto Rico on 20 August and Lithuania on 22 August. When the World Cup tips off, Latvia will face Lebanon, France, and Canada in Group H of the preliminary round.

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