Aaron J. Fentress: “I just really feel bad for Zach.” – Blazers coach Terry Stotts Portland Trail Blazers’ Zach Collins undergoes second ankle surgery, out indefinitely @Ripcity oregonlive.com/blazers/2020/1…
NBA Rumor: Zach Collins Injury
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According to reports, Collins fractured his medial malleolus, which is the inside of his shin bone (i.e., tibia) at his ankle. When looking at your own ankle, it’s that rounded bony protrusion that sticks out a little bit above your shoe. The bad news for Collins & the Trail Blazers is that the tibia is a weight bearing bone, which means getting clearance to play may take a lot longer than if it were a non-wearing bone.
Unfortunately, stress fractures are one of the more serious sports injuries as they often involve prolonged return times and high risk of re-injury. They occur at a rate of 20% in high-level athletes with about 90% occurring in the lower limb. How bad the stress fracture is depends on where it is and type, with Collins’ injury being one of the less common locations. Regardless, stress fractures are categorized as “high risk” or “low risk” based on how they heal.
“High risk” stress fractures can be much more problematic compared to “low risk”, as the break can get longer and/or take longer to heal. “Low risk” stress fractures are almost always managed successfully using conservative treatment (i.e., physical therapy and no surgery), while those that are “high risk” are more difficult to diagnose and may require surgery. Thus, it’s fairly obvious that Collins’ stress fracture may be categorized as “high risk” given the Trail Blazers’ announcement that he will undergo season-ending surgery. Regardless, injury severity can be graded based on changes seen on imaging (e.g., x-ray, MRI), which are often used to plan treatment, prognosis and when an athlete will return to action.
Jay Allen: Terry Stotts says Zach Collins is still with the team in Orlando. Surgery date is TBD.
Zach Collins out for the season
Adrian Wojnarowski: Portland’s Zach Collins will require season-ending ankle surgery, sources tell ESPN.
Jamie Hudson: Blazers Injurt Report for Game 1 vs. Lakers: Zach Collins (left ankle inflammation) and F Nassir Little (dehydration recovery) are out; CJ McCollum (vertebral fracture) is available for Tuesday’s game.
Collins was originally hoping to return in March and he’s pushed himself through rehabilitation sessions and individual basketball workouts throughout the coronavirus crisis, so the news was not surprising. But for it to finally become official was momentous. “When my doc came in and said my shoulder feels like a normal shoulder, that I was good to go, it was like a weight was lifted,” Collins said. “I tell people all the time that he whole rehab process isn’t difficult. It’s just very long and boring. The worst part is not being on the road with the team, not being around them every day, feeling disconnected. It’s weird. Odd. So, mentally, it’s a big struggle. I’m just super excited to be back and know that I can do everything again.”
This has put Collins in a tough spot, as the one thing left on his list for rehab was full contact, basketball action. In an interview for Trail Blazers Courtside, the Blazers’ big man gave Rip City an update on his rehab. I definitely think I am on the right track. Right now it’s tough because the last part of my development was playing and we can’t play right now. I’m just trying to simulate that as much as I can right now without going through contact with other players. It feels really good. Like I said before,.I haven’t really had any setbacks in my rehab. From day one it’s all been pretty smooth, it’s just a long process. But it feels great. I’m really happy with where I’m at. – Zach Collins
Everywhere you looked, there were positive signs in regard to injured players. There was Zach Collins, going through on-court drills with a basketball — shooting short jumpers and even left-handed layups — as he recovers from a torn labrum. No full workout with the team yet, but on the court and even shooting with his (injured) left arm. At the other end of the court, there was CJ McCollum working out with coaches — running full speed as he shot and went through defensive drills — as he recovers from a sprained ankle.
Zach Collins didn’t know it at the time, but that October night in Dallas, when he bowed his head and nearly cried in an empty locker room, his life was beginning to change for the better. The Trail Blazers starting power forward had just learned that his dislocated left shoulder, suffered in the third quarter of the team’s third game, would keep him out weeks, if not months — and if that didn’t take hold of his Adam’s Apple, the next few days would. For the next six days, he would wrestle with MRI results, second opinions, third opinions, and decisions of whether to have surgery or just rehabilitate the shoulder. He ultimately opted for surgery to repair a torn labrum, and he is not expected back on the court until March at the earliest.
Somewhere between the haze of dashed dreams and the post-surgery pity parties, Collins was confronted by what many professional athletes encounter during a major injury: an identity crisis. During most of his 21 years, basketball was the most defining element of his life. It was what he was best at, how he was recognized, how he managed his stress, and how he viewed himself. And now, basketball was gone until the spring, leaving him with a harrowing question: Who was he? “What else do you have?” Collins remembers asking himself. “And I realized, I don’t have much.”
So often, athletes use their rehabilitation to focus only on their body, and getting the injured area healed. But for the 21-year-old Collins, he quickly identified that his rehabilitation would be of body and mind. “That’s not to say this whole time has been sunshine and rainbows,” Collins said. “I’ve definitely had pity parties, definitely played the victim, and definitely thought ‘This sucks.’ But then you get to a point where you are tired of being mad, or tired of being negative, and it’s like, ‘let me do something about it.’”
When the door opened for the media to enter the gym at the Trail Blazer practice facility Monday, there was a surprise spectator watching practice on a sideline bench. Zach Collins, fresh off his surgery last week to repair damage in his left labrum, was back.
“They said I could probably take (the sling) off when I’m home, hopefully next week,” Collins said. “But if I’m out in public, I still have to wear it. The worst part is when I sleep. I always sleep on my side and for some reason, at night all that pain comes back. The last couple of nights were a lot better. I’ve been almost pain free.”
Zach Collins to undergo surgery
Jason Quick: Blazers forward Zach Collins will have surgery to repair his dislocated left shoulder, sources tell The Athletic.
Eddie Sefko: Portland’s Zach Collins leaves the court with what looked to be a dislocated left shoulder after grappling for a rebound with Luka Doncic, who gave him a butt-tap on the way off the floor.
Jay Allen: #Blazers announce that Zach Collins (left shoulder injury) will not return.
Zach Collins injures ankle
Portland Trail Blazers center-forward Zach Collins is recovering at his home in Las Vegas after sustaining a grade 2 sprain in his right ankle during a workout. Collins suffered the sprain and a torn ligament during a workout a couple of weeks ago.
He has been on crutches and in a walking boot but is expected to be ready to play by the opening of the team’s training camp. He is scheduled to return to Portland next week.
Joe Freeman: After practice, Collins slipped on a black face mask and dived into an individual workout with Blazers’ coaches. Looks like he might have to wear that in Las Vegas.
Joe Freeman: Zach Collins suffered a broken nose when he collided with Caleb Swanigan at the end of Tuesday’s summer league practice. The Blazers are holding him out of contact portions of practice the rest of the week, but he said he’ll play in Las Vegas.
Joe Freeman: Zach Collins, who missed NBA his debut Wednesday night with gastroenteritis, has been upgraded to probable vs. the Pacers Friday.
After a right quad contusion sidelined the 7-0 rookie out of Gonzaga for all but the first two games of the Trail Blazers’ extended run at the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League, Zach Collins missed the first day of training camp practice due to suffering a concussion during informal workouts on September 22.
Jason Quick: Zach Collins says he hopes to play again in Summer League. Injury is to upper thigh. Not sure how it happened.
Mike Richman: Correction on the injury update from the Blazers: Zach Collins (right quad contusion) and Pat Connaughton (left hamstring strain) are out.
January 26, 2021 | 8:02 pm EST Update
Andrew Greif: Whole Clippers staff is wearing these “Kobe” masks tonight. pic.twitter.com/W9QSqJTEZz
Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on the Knicks’ defensive strength: “Their size, first of all, starting with the rim protection. … And then their size across the rest of the frontcourt and their backcourt. When you do drive the ball and you get in the lane, they make it hard for you.”
