Gordon Hayward says Isaiah Thomas was the first to wish him well after his injury

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Gordon Hayward’s opening-night injury is one of the most memorable, heart-wrenching injuries in league history. Not only because of the severity of it, but who it happened to and when it happened.

And if it was that way for all of us, you can be certain that it was that times 10 for Hayward himself. He outlined as much in a piece he wrote to fans on Facebook documenting the scenario, his recovery and how his family is doing since it all went down.

Isaiah Thomas was one of the first people to talk to Hayward after his injury

After Hayward’s injury, you’d obviously expect there to be a swell of concern and support for him. But you’d expect one of the first people to be there for him to be on his own team. Instead, it was former Celtic Isaiah Thomas who was at Hayward’s side immediately after he was taken into the locker roo

 That’s a pretty neat thing. Thomas is well known as a stand-up guy, but it takes a lot of character to show support to a player you were supposed to play with. Thomas’ heart was broken after he was moved from Boston — he recruited Hayward himself. For him to show Hayward support is an awesome thing just because he didn’t have to.

Hayward didn’t know what happened when he landed

As many had stated after the injury happened, Hayward ran a backdoor play that routinely worked out for him in Utah. He went through it, set the play up, and ran it exactly as he was supposed to. But this time, when he came down he knew something was wrong. m.

This just goes to show you that this can pretty much happen at any time and anywhere on the floor. All it took was one misstep, and a play Hayward has probably run hundreds of times throughout his career put him out for the season.

Hayward’s surgery was tense

Anytime you see an injury like this, you know there’s a major surgery coming with it. It was evident that Hayward probably wouldn’t be back for the season, but from what he says the injury could have had a far worse result. Hayward had broken bones and torn ligaments, but there was potential, according to Hayward’s doctors, for cartilage damage.

Source: sbnation