Portland Trail Blazers rookie Scoot Henderson Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

NBA fans won't see top picks battle Sunday in Summer League

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 7/8/23

Hoops fans hoping to see two of the top picks from the 2023 NBA Draft do battle in Summer League action on Sunday will have to wait until the regular season.

After suffering a shoulder injury on Friday, No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson won't be in the Portland Trail Blazers' lineup when they take the floor against the San Antonio Spurs and No. 1 overall selection Victor Wembanyama on Sunday. According to insider Chris Haynes of TNT, Henderson will sit out the game to rest the injury, though the Trail Blazers don't seem overly concerned.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick, will sit out Sunday’s marquee matchup against No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio Spurs to rest shoulder, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. pic.twitter.com/iRWiHWYMHb
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 9, 2023

Before injury cut his Summer League debut against the Houston Rockets short, Henderson unleashed an impressive performance bound to excite Trail Blazers' fans. He showed off his scoring touch and court vision, recording 15 points, six assists and five rebounds in 21 minutes of play.

As for Henderson's injured shoulder, he told reporters Saturday that it was "getting better," adding that he wasn't sure when he'll hit the hardwood again.

"I think I played pretty smooth," Henderson said via Aaron J. Fentress of The Oregonian. "I know there's areas I definitely need to improve on, just little things in my game that I could really perfect and master. But, you know, first game, so, got a lot to do, a lot of work."

The Trail Blazers are clearly treating Henderson's injury with an abundance of caution and rightfully so. With star Damian Lillard likely heading elsewhere, it'll be Henderson's show to run in Portland from here on out, meaning they can ill-afford any injury setbacks.

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