Brazilian guard Raul Neto ruptured his patellar tendon in his right knee during Brazil’s 2023 FIBA World Cup opener against Iran, Eurohoops.net reports. Neto will miss the rest of the World Cup.
It’s a brutal blow for Neto, who recently signed overseas with Turkish club Fenerbahce. In a recent interview with Eurohoops, Neto spoke about his excitement for joining one of the top overseas clubs. Neto didn’t rule out an NBA return, where he played from 2015 to 2023, but he said he was a bit disappointed with not receiving a contract offer after impressing with the Wizards in 2020-21, where he averaged 8.7 points. After leaving Washington in 2022, he signed with the Cavaliers, where he spent all of last year, but he didn’t play much.
“I just think that the NBA season… It’s very hard if you aren’t a role player,” Neto said. “It’s hard on you. You don’t play much.”
Neto, 31, was hoping that his time with Fenerbahce would allow him to see the floor and show that he’s still got his guard skills, according to his interview with Eurohoops. However, this recent injury puts his time with Fenerbahce in doubt. Patellar tendon ruptures typically take six-to-12 months to recover from, so it’s safe to say that Neto’s 2023-24 season is in jeopardy.
The Brazilian guard was poised to be a significant part of not only Brazil’s national team but also Fenerbahce, as he was essentially signed to replace Nick Calathes.
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