Jeremy Sochan suffers calf discomfort in Poland, will miss EuroBasket Tournament

Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan suffered a calf strain with the Polish National Team and will not participate in the EuroBasket Tournament, according to the Polish Basketball Federation. He reportedly started feeling some discomfort in his calf during practice and alerted the medical staff. After a meeting that also included his agent and the Spurs’ medical staff, it was concluded that best course of action would be to shut him down for the summer and let him rehabilitate. The injury is not considered serious, and he is expected to be ready for training camp in September.

“We did the necessary tests for Jeremy. The injury is not serious, but there are less than three weeks left until EuroBasket,” said Lukasz Koszarek, director of the Polish national team. “This is very little time. Jeremy is a very important part of our team, he has great contact with all the players and staff and we are very sorry that his adventure with the national team ends so quickly this summer.”

Sochan released a statement of his own, expressing disappointment in the situation but gratitude

“I am very disappointed, but due to a calf muscle injury, unfortunately, I will not be able to play for Poland at this year’s EuroBasket. I’ve been working hard for this over the last few months, and the time I trained and played with the national team was amazing. It’s a special group and I really enjoyed being a part of this team. Fortunately, the doctors predict that I will be fully healthy by the time the start of the preparation camp before the upcoming NBA season. I want to thank my teammates, coaches and the whole staff, especially the fans in Poland, for their support. I appreciate it very much and know that although I will not be able to be with you, I will support Poland with all my heart.”

Spurs general manager Brian Wright also released a statement thanking the Polish team while stating that Sochan will return to San Antonio to continue his rehabilitation.

The injury marks an unfortunate end to what figured to be a big summer of basketball for Sochan. The practice time spent with Team Poland was certainly beneficial, and videos of his seemingly improved outside shot, without that huge hitch, had been making the rounds and had fans eager to see him in live action.

Another big event that could come this summer is Sochan’s rookie contract extension. He and the Spurs have up until the day before the regular season begins to come to an agreement, otherwise he will become a restricted free agent next summer, where the Spurs can still negotiate with him while also having the right to match any offer he receives.

At this point, it’s hard to know if this setback will play any role in his extension negotiations with the Spurs, but all that matters right now is he get well and be ready for training camp. As recent seasons — and especially the playoffs this year — have shown, a calf strain, no matter how minor, should not be ignored as it can lead to much bigger injuries later on, so Sochan was right to report it even knowing it could potentially cost him valuable playing time.

Get well soon, Jeremy!