Memphis Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells was taken off the court on a stretcher Tuesday night after a terrifying fall during a matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.
The incident happened as Wells completed a fastbreak dunk off a pass from Ja Morant. While coming down, he was clipped from behind by Charlotte’s K.J. Simpson, causing him to fall awkwardly and hit his head hard on the floor.
Prayers for Jaylen Wells 🙏❤️pic.twitter.com/w4xDJuGZVY
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) April 9, 2025
Medical personnel quickly responded, tending to Wells for about eight minutes before carefully stabilizing his neck and placing him onto a stretcher. Play was halted for a total of 23 minutes, including time for both teams to regroup and warm up again.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Wells’ agent Aman Dhesi confirmed the young guard is “awake, alert and moving his extremities.” He also suffered a broken wrist during the fall.
Wells himself also took to social media to post a picture from the hospital, which signaled to everyone he was doing okay.
Jaylen Wells on IG 🙏 pic.twitter.com/CSuAVRAHwD
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 9, 2025
Officials reviewed the play and ruled it a flagrant 2 foul on Simpson for excessive and unnecessary contact, resulting in an automatic ejection. Simpson immediately showed concern and was visibly shaken as Wells was attended to in an eerily quiet arena.
Wells, selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft out of Washington State, had started 74 of Memphis’s 79 games this season.
He was averaging 10.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
No doubt it is the end of his season. A wrist injury takes six to eight weeks to heal. Prayers up for the rook!
