Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Caris LeVert suffered a nasty leg injury playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.
The 24-year-old was having a breakout season with the Nets, averaging 19.0 points, 3.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per contest, but he will likely need the remainder of the campaign to recover from what looks to be a very serious injury.
LeVert came down hard on his right leg after colliding with Jeff Teague off an attempted block. And he could only slump down in anguish, holding his head in his hands after looking at the limb.
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Players from both teams were visibly distraught, with many in tears after witnessing what had happened.
"He is the heart and soul of our program," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said after the game. "It's a tough, tough blow for the Nets."
"There was really just no words," forward Joe Harris remarked. "We didn't talk even when we came in at halftime. There was nothing to be said. Guys were crying. It was really that horrific just to see.
"He has done everything he could possibly do to put himself in a position to succeed, to do well and to be healthy, and then you just have a freak accident. That's what makes it even tougher for all of us."
The stricken player was taken to a hospital via ambulance shortly after being stretchered off the court.
"It's always terrible to see something like that," Derrick Rose added in the Timberwolves' locker room.
Rose, no stranger to big injuries, was also on the court when Paul George and Gordon Hayward suffered their horrific leg injuries.
Meanwhile, Atkinson has backed the player to bounce back from the disappointment, hailing his strong character and personality.
"He had a fantastic start to the season," Atkinson said. "He's obviously made a huge jump. I just know that if anybody is coming back from this - the human, the character, the person, the player - he'll come back from this. But a tough, tough blow for the Nets. Our only thoughts are with him. Nothing else matters. The game doesn't matter tonight."