Vince Williams Jr. Image via: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images The Utah Jazz received difficult news after Monday night’s loss in Houston. Guard Vince Williams Jr. underwent an MRI on Tuesday that confirmed a torn ACL in his left knee, ending his season. ESPN first reported the diagnosis, with insider Shams Charania sharing the update. The injury occurred during the Rockets’ 125-105 win and immediately sparked concern around Utah’s locker room.Williams went down early in the second quarter after colliding with Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason on a fast break. As the two sprinted up the floor, contact sent Williams off balance. His left knee bent awkwardly before he fell out of bounds in front of the Jazz bench. He later left the arena on crutches, and the MRI confirmed the worst.
Vince Williams Jr. hit with season-ending news
Vince Williams Jr., 25, had recently joined Utah in a trade that included All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. In limited action with the Jazz, he averaged 4.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Over 134 career games since being selected by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2022 NBA Draft, he has averaged 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He entered the league out of VCU as a second-round pick and carved out a role through steady defense and playmaking.As for the game, the play drew immediate reaction. “That’s not basketball,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said after the game. Williams is out for the season. Eason later addressed the incident and made it clear he meant no harm. “I’ve known Vince for a little bit and he’s just a really good dude, hard-working dude,” Eason told the Deseret News. “It was just respect. I’ve got a lot of respect for him, and I know it’s his contract year … I didn’t intend on doing anything. My intentions are always just to play hard. So I went to go holler and just check on him. Obviously nothing helps, but just tell him that I apologize. You know, nobody’s trying to hurt anybody.”Jazz guard Keyonte George shared his reaction as well. “Everybody’s gonna have their own opinion (about the play) but can’t really look into it too much,” George said, per the Deseret News. “These plays, just running down the floor … just a freak accident, honestly.” He also said he was “devastated for Vince.”
Several players are expected to get more minutes
Williams’ absence leaves Utah thin in the backcourt. Rotation changes are expected over the final stretch of the season.Isaiah Collier could see an extended run. Over his past nine games, he has logged heavy minutes while producing across the board. John Konchar, another piece acquired in the Jackson deal, may also benefit from increased opportunity as the Jazz evaluate their depth. Two-way guard Elijah Harkless is another name to watch, especially with Utah ranking near the bottom of the league in defensive rating.Utah returns home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night.