Brooklyn Nets All Star point guard Kyrie Irving reportedly took an elbow to the mouth during Tuesday's workout, which resulted in a facial fracture on the left side of his face.
The team confirmed the news on Wednesday afternoon, noting that Irving will be listed as day-to-day as the team kicks off training camp next week.
Irving, selected first overall out of Duke by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011, spent his first six seasons in Cleveland before forcing his way to the Boston Celtics. The 27-year old, six-time All Star averaged 23.8 points with 6.9 assists and 5 rebounds per game last season with the Cs, but he'll now start anew in Brooklyn - potentially with a mask on his face.
Irving has donned the mask two other times in his career, including in 2012 when he broke his jaw and again in 2017 after he suffered a facial fracture.
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The Nets will open the season on their brand new all-gray home court on October 23 as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves, followed by a matchup against the New York Knicks on October 25.
In an effort to encourage Nets fans to support the team and drown out the orange and blue in their second home game, the team has announced that the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a replica Kyrie Irving jersey. Of course, this is also just another way for the Nets organization to rub salt in the wound of Knicks fans who thought that Irving and Kevin Durant would be playing their home games at Madison Square Garden.
