Although the new NBA season is still on the horizon, the Memphis Grizzlies are already dealing with injury setbacks. On Friday morning, the team shared news via Evan Sidery that Vince Williams Jr. has sustained a stress reaction in his tibia.
As a result, Williams will be sidelined for at least the first week of the regular season, awaiting further evaluation by medical staff. The injury reportedly occurred during a recent training session, which means Williams will also miss the entirety of training camp.
This development is a blow to the Grizzlies, who were counting on Williams to be one of their key wing defenders for the 2024-25 campaign. Last season marked a major leap for Williams, his second year in the NBA.
He posted averages of 10 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, a significant improvement from his rookie-year stats of 2 points, 1 rebound, and 0.3 assists. Starting in 33 of the 52 games he played last season, Williams was expected to log substantial minutes this year.
After being plagued by injuries throughout last season, the Grizzlies were hoping to avoid similar misfortune going forward. Unfortunately, Williams now joins GG Jackson, who will also be missing the start of the season due to a right foot injury.
The team remains optimistic that Williams will recover swiftly and return to action soon, while hoping this is the final injury setback before the season kicks off in a few weeks.