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Aron Baynes’ sad revelation ahead of the upcoming NBA season

News Corp AustraliaNCA NewsWire
Aron Baynes will miss the upcoming NBA season due to a neck injury sustained during the Tokyo Olympics. Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Camera IconAron Baynes will miss the upcoming NBA season due to a neck injury sustained during the Tokyo Olympics. Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Credit: News Corp Australia

Boomers star Aron Baynes’ 2021/22 NBA season is over before it began, with a neck injury sustained during the Tokyo Olympics continuing to plague him.

The 34-year-old suffered the injury after he fell in the dressing room during the Boomers’ victory over Italy in the group stages at the Tokyo Olympics. He was hospitalised due to the fall and didn’t return to the court for the rest of Australia’s medal campaign.

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In his absence, the Boomers went on to win their first piece of silverware at the Olympics, defeating Slovenia 107-93 to claim the bronze medal.

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Despite Baynes’ latest NBA club, Toronto Raptors, opting to waive him from their roster, he had hoped to find a new team in time for the upcoming season.

However, his neck injury has sadly put any of those plans on hold.

Baynes’ manager, Daniel Moldovan, confirmed the centre would miss the season, but remained hopeful his NBA career wasn’t finished just yet.

The Australian spent the opening years of his basketball career knocking about in various European leagues, with stops in Lithuania, Germany, Greece and Slovenia before moving to NBA outfit San Antonio Spurs in 2013.

Baynes won an NBA championship with the Spurs in the 2013/14 season, making 53 appearances for Gregg Popovich’s team and enjoyed a career-best season from the free-throw line, finishing with a .905 per cent record from the charity stripe.

The veteran signed with the Detroit Pistons in 2015, and spent two years with the Motor City team before a switch to Boston in 2017.

He saw his most action in his first season with the Celtics, making 81 appearances and starting 67 games.

However, the Australian’s best form came during his sole season with the Phoenix Suns in the 2019/20 season.

In Arizona, Baynes averaged 11.5 points per game, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists, the highest numbers of his career.

He was unable to rekindle his Suns form during his time at the Raptors, but he’ll no doubt hope to make another NBA roster should he fully recover from his neck injury.

Originally published as Aron Baynes’ sad revelation ahead of the upcoming NBA season

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