Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey broke his left leg in a collision during a win over the Orlando Magic.
The Pistons announced that Ivey underwent a successful Thursday morning at Henry Ford Hospital to repair a broken fibula.
Ivey shared a social media post with the news and added a message for his followers.
"I promise to come back even better," Ivey wrote in a post. "The recovery starts now #DetroitBasketball."
Detroit drafted Ivey with the No. 5 overall pick in 2022 and the former Purdue star was having a breakout year. Ivey averaged 17.6 points and 4.1 rebounds — both career highs — along with four assists in 30 games this season.
He was injured when Orlando's Cole Anthony slipped and fell as he and Ivey went for the ball. Anthony's momentum carried him into Ivey's planted leg, knocking Ivey to the floor. The 22-year-old Ivey was in obvious distress as he grabbed for his shin, and the team's medical staff quickly attended to him.
Members of the training staff held up towels to block the crowd's view of the injury and players from both teams formed a circle around him. After a lengthy delay, he was loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled out of the arena with a towel covering the injury.
"It is tough for all of us," Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after Detroit's 105-96 victory. "There's no better person or teammate than J.I. and no one cares more about this than he does."
The Pistons said Ivey will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
