June Mar Fajardo is set to miss two months of action with a fracture on his right shin, which initially went undetected.
A source close to the situation said the injury was just diagnosed on Monday after a medical check-up.
The fracture, the source said, wasn’t detected earlier since the symptoms manifested just recently.
Fajardo’s absence will surely impact the Philippines in the fourth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifier, where Gilas will face the Iranian national team in Tehran and Qatar in a closed-door game at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The affable bigman is one of the few players spared of the suspension in the aftermath of the brawl between the Philippines and Australia last month.
The injury could also jeopardize Fajardo’s bid for a fifth straight MVP as the league requires a player to have played in 70 percent of his team’s games during the whole season.