Louisville's Kevin Ware suffered a horrific injury Sunday, as he came down awkwardly on his right leg. The compound fracture broke through the open air, which is extremely dangerous and could lead to infection, according to ABC News.
Dr. Robert Blatter, who performs emergency surgeries at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, commented about the frightening injury.
"He came down hard, landing in an awkward way," Dr. Glatter said. "That combined with an underlying bone issue or an existing stress fracture predisposes someone to this type of injury."
He also added the injury, an open fracture where the bone protrudes the skin, is rarely seen in sports.
"They're more commonly seen in car accidents where the shin smashes against the lower part of the dashboard or when someone jumps from a height like in parachuting," Dr. Glatter said. "You almost never see it in basketball, but you do see one or two a season in football."
Another expert, Ohio State University Director of Sports Medicine, Tim Hewett, agreed with Dr. Glatter's' assessment.
"Watching the video tape over and over, I would not expect this type of fracture to occur," he said. "I suspect he had some risk factors that created some sort of bone deficit."
According to ABC News, Hewett also expressed that Ware's diet might have been low in vitamin D, leading to "porous bones."
The 20-year old underwent an emergency two-hour surgery, where his bone was reset and is now supported by a rod to stabilize his leg as it heals.
The rod will remain in Ware's leg for six months, according to ABC, and he should be able to return to the court in a year.
Although the injury could lead to nerve damage, loss of motor control and loss of function in his lower leg and foot, Dr. Glatter remained optimistic.
"This is a devastating injury but it doesn't have to end his career," he said.
After beating Duke in the Midwest Regional Championship, Louisville then posed with the trophy and Ware's jersey as a sign of respect for their fallen teammate.
Coach Rick Pitino later visited Ware in the hospital following the game.
"He was groggy, in good spirits. He saw us win the trophy and was crying and said it was all worthwhile," Pitino told the Associated Press. "We didn't cut down the net, but I left him the trophy."
Ware is expected to remain in Indianapolis until Tuesday.
