Zach Collins will undergo shoulder surgery to fix torn labrum
The big man suffered the injury in the last game of the season against the Pistons. The Spurs expect him to be ready to go by the start of next season.
Spurs’ center Zach Collins will undergo surgery to fix a shoulder injury he suffered in the season closer against the Pistons, the franchise announced. He should be ready to go by the start of next season.
Collins hyperextended his shoulder in the third quarter against the Pistons on Sunday, April 14 in the last game of the year. Collins fouled James Wiseman as he was attempting a shot close to the rim and immediately felt the pain and checked out of the game. An MRI confirmed that he had a torn labrum and would need surgery to fix it. It’s a tough blow for the big man, who has suffered serious injuries in the past that almost derailed his career but was largely healthy since joining the Spurs. Now he’ll have to go back to focusing on rehabilitating instead of working on his game in the offseason.
It’s tough to estimate the time needed for a full recovery without knowing the severity of the tear, but according to the invaluable InStreetClothes database, the average time is five months. If that’s the timeline, he should be ready to go close to the start of next season. It’s unfortunate news, but nothing as devastating as the foot injury that sidelined Collins for an entire year back in 2020.
Collins averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 22.1 minutes a game during the 2023/24 season while starting 29 games.
