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Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker has been taken to a local Denver, Colorado hospital by an ambulance following an apparent neck injury during Friday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
The 29-year-old Walker — who is in his first season with the Boston Celtics after spending the first eight years of his career with the Charlotte Hornets — ran into teammate and power forward Semi Ojeleye headfirst and went to the ground immediately during the second quarter Celtic’s game against the Nuggets.
He has since been “carted” out of the arena, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. At this time, the current condition of the three-time NBA All-Star is unclear.
After a collision with a teammate that appears to have injured his neck, Boston's Kemba Walker is getting carted out of arena in Denver on a stretcher. With his head down, Walker had crashed into Semi Ojeleye.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1198073793341775874
Update (10:35 p.m. EST): According to Celtics’ team doctors, Walker is being taken to a local hospital to be evaluated for concussion-like symptoms.
Concussion-like symptoms for Kemba Walker, being taken to local hospital, according to team #Celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) November 23, 2019
The Celtics are unfortunately no strangers to frightening early-season injuries to newly-signed players, as it was just two seasons ago that small forward Gordon Hayward suffered a gruesome broken leg during the team’s season-opening game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Walker — who was taken by the then-Charlotte Hornets with the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft — signed a four-year, $141M maximum contract with the Celtics this offseason following the departure of Kyrie Irving.
Walker and the Celtics have gotten off to a hot start thus far, as they sat second in the Eastern Conference with a record of 11-3 prior to Friday night. Similarly, the Denver Nuggets have started the 2019-20 NBA season on the front foot, as they currently sit second in the Western Conference standings.
At this time, our thought and prayers are with Kemba Walker and his friends, family, teammates, and loved ones. We wish him a speedy recovery.
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Eric is a New York City-based writer who still isn’t quite sure how he’s allowed to have this much fun for a living and will tell anyone who listens that Gotham City is canonically in New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter @eric_ital for movie and soccer takes or contact him eric@brobible.com