Ariel Hukporti Suffers Ankle Injury in 76ers Preseason Debut
Former Knicks center Hukporti exits just five minutes into his first game with Philadelphia.
Philadelphia 76ers center Ariel Hukporti left his preseason debut Monday with a noncontact ankle injury, just five minutes into the game.
Hukporti collapsed to the court after planting his foot, appearing to hold the back of his right ankle. He was helped off by former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns.
Hukporti signed a one-year, $3.4 million deal with the Sixers after two seasons with the Knicks, where he was the third-string center and won a championship. He left the Knicks in free agency, with the team also losing second-string center Mitchell Robinson to the Celtics.
Knicks coach Mike Brown, speaking before the game, expressed support for Hukporti's move. "You got a special person. I know he’s gonna work his tail off," Brown said. "He’s athletic, he’s quick, he’s strong, he’s relentless. ... This is Year 3 for him, and I know that he can do more than probably what he showed. And to be able to come in this environment, knowing he has a chance to fight for some true backup minutes."
Brown also commented on the Sixers' star-studded roster. "They’re just loaded, man," he said, noting the additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. "Multiple-time All-Star, multiple-time All-Star, multiple-time All-Star. … MVP candidate, MVP candidate, MVP candidate. ... You look at the Sixers now, and they got as many All-Stars, or guys of that nature, as they had in Miami when LeBron was down there."
He added that the Sixers' assembled team has made the Eastern Conference race more challenging. "They’re definitely going to be one of the teams that are contending in the East, and in my opinion, it just got harder for everybody with the team that they assembled here," Brown said.
Most of the Sixers' starters, including James and Joel Embiid, were rested for the preseason opener, while the Knicks intended to play all players except Jose Alvarado, who was sidelined with a knee contusion.
In other team news, Brown praised Karl-Anthony Towns for his conditioning and engagement amid ongoing contract extension negotiations. "He was in great shape coming to camp. We have a conditioning test, and he passed it the first time," Brown said. "He looks good on the floor. I moved him around from the center spot to different spots on the floor, and he looks like he has a pretty good feel for it, and so I truly love the way that he’s been practicing and how in tune and how in shape he is."
Towns reiterated Monday that he does not anticipate an extension before the season begins, stating that his desired outcome, which balances team continuity with his valuation, is not currently close to being met.