Ariel Hukporti's injury in the Philadelphia 76ers' preseason opener appears to have been as bad as initially feared.
The team announced on Tuesday, Oct. 6, that an MRI confirmed Hukporti suffered a torn right Achilles tendon less than five minutes into the 76ers' exhibition game against the New York Knicks
a day earlier. The 7-footer is scheduled to undergo surgery, and ESPN reported the injury is expected to be season-ending for Hukporti.The non-contact injury occurred with 7:06 remaining in the first quarter when Hukporti fell to the floor while on defense. The 24-year-old from Germany immediately grabbed his lower right leg and did not return to the game.
Ariel Hukporti injury: How it impacts LeBron James, 76ers
The loss of Hukporti is a blow to the Sixers' depth at center, a position that is likely
to draw scrutiny given Joel Embiid's injury history and the urgency to win a championship with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and this star-studded Philadelphia roster.
Embiid hasn't appeared in more than 40 games since the 2022-23 season and his projected back-up, Adem Bona, is also dealing with a foot injury and has yet to participate in team workouts this preseason. Tacko Fall, the 7-foot-5 center who Philadelphia signed to an Exhibit 10 contract, is also sidelined and will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days, according to the team.
Hukporti, 24, signed a one-year, $3.4-million contract to join the 76ers after winning an NBA championship with the Knicks. He played sparingly in New York, but the Sixers viewed him as a developmental piece who could compete for frontcourt minutes, particularly during games in which Embiid doesn't play.
The Sixers are eligible to apply for and get awarded a $1.7 million disabled player exception (half of Hukporti's 2026-27 salary), according to ESPN. Philadelphia opens its regular season against the Knicks on Oct. 20.
Ariel Hukporti stats
Hukporti appeared in 54 regular-season games for the Knicks during the 2025-26 season. He averaged 2.2 points and 2.9 rebounds while averaging less than 10 minutes per game.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ariel Hukporti injury update is bad news for LeBron James and Sixers
