UNC Basketball: Nassir Little injury update

The former Tar Heel will be not be available for the foreseeable future as the Portland Trailblazers compete in the NBA Playoffs.

Nassir Little has not played since the Portland Trailblazers arrived at the NBA Bubble in Orlando, Florida. The rookie forward was not in the rotation for the team’s seeding games and did not see any playing time. It came as a surprise when the former Tar Heel was listed on the team’s injury report prior to the final seeding game against the Brooklyn Nets.

Over the past few days, the Trailblazers have provided an update in regards to Little’s status:

Portland announced that Little experienced a syncopal episode on August 12 during an optional team shoot around. After going through further testing, the 20-year-old was diagnosed with dehydration, and all tests came back negative.

Little is scheduled to remain with the team and will undergo precautionary health monitoring for two weeks. The rookie will miss the entire first round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, but could return for the semifinals if the team advances that far.

During the regular season, Little averaged 3.6 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in just under 12 minutes per game. As seen as a “project,” the Blazers seem to be intent on easing him in as they look to develop his overall game more.

This is tough news for Little, who most likely would have seen some playing time in his first possible playoff series. However, his health is definitely more important, as the Trail Blazers will take every step necessary to ensure that he is healthy and fully ready to return when the time is right.