Atlanta Hawks offer notable update on injured rookie draft pick

The Atlanta Hawks ended 2K25 Summer League with both of their rookie draft picks sidelined by injuries. 

No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher played two games before succumbing to a quad injury over the final three contests. And second-round pick Nikola Djurisic – who was selected by the Miami Heat and traded to the Hawks on draft night – broke his toe.

The latter’s injury was far more significant and the team has provided an official update.

“Nikola Đurišić, who sustained a left foot fracture during a summer league game on July 14, underwent surgery on Monday to repair his left fifth metatarsal bone,” the Hawks said in a statement released on X on July 24. “The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C. An update on his status will be provided in November.”

Djurisic finished Summer League averaging 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 28.6% from the floor and missing all three of his three-point attempts.

Still, he flashed his playmaking chops and showed an aggressiveness to get into the defense.

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The most notable part of the update is undoubtedly the timeline, though. Djurisic’s agent, Misko Raznatovic, offered a similar update on social media, saying his client would undergo surgery “at the end of this week” (per Google translate) on July 16. 

Monday’s date – July 22 – fits Raznatovic’s projected timeline for the procedure. However, he also offered a much more optimistic timeline for the rookie’s return to action.

“Nikola Djurisic, playing for Atlanta, suffered an injury in the form of a fracture of the metatarsal bone of his left foot in the match of the NBA summer league,” Raznatovic posted on X on July 16. “Repairing the injury requires surgery, which is expected this week. The return to the field is planned for the end of September!”

An additional two months on the shelf is a devastating blow for Djurisic. But it fits the profile.

“Recovery from fifth metatarsal fracture surgery usually takes up to seven weeks. You’ll need to keep weight off your foot for at least six weeks,” the Cleveland Clinic wrote in 2021.

“You can typically return to your regular activities, including sports, three to four months after surgery or immobilization. Your provider may recommend physical therapy to help restore mobility in your foot.”

Raznatovic's projection fell well short of even optimistic estimates. So why the disparity?

Next update on injured Hawks rookie not expected until November

For one, Raznatovic’s post was conveying an expectation. Something getting lost in translation or even a simple miscalculation could easily be the cause. It is also possible that the damage was worse than initially thought and only discovered during surgery

None of these potential answers lessen the blow for a Hawks team that dealt with myriad injuries in 2023-24.

Three types of fractures can occur with the fifth metatarsal: avulsion, Jones, or dancer’s.

Avulsion fractures are the most common variant, making up 93% of the cases, per Cleveland Clinic. That is usually the result of rolling an ankle, but Hawks swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic dealt with one in his knee in 2021 and 2022. 

Jones fractures are “less common and more difficult to treat than avulsion fractures.”

Jones fractures are usually the result of overuse or repetitive stress/trauma to the area whereas dancer’s fractures are the result of direct trauma or twisting.

It is unclear exactly when Djurisic suffered the injury. He did hit the deck after landing on his feet while being fould early on in the eventual loss to the San Antonio Spurs on July 14. But he continued to play for several more minutes before exiting in the first quarter.

Djurisic’s future with the Hawks in 2024-25 was already unclear. 

He remains unsigned and could very well be a draft-and-stash player. Djurisic spent the past four seasons with KK Mega Soccerbet in the ABA League’s First Division.

The Hawks have plenty of guards and wings. And counting on rookies to be key contributors is a risky bet. But few of the Hawks’ in-house options offer the size and playmaking ability that Djurisic teased outside of Jalen Johnson.