FILE – Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis, center, poses with coach Joe Mazzulla, left, and Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations, during a media availability June 29, 2023. (Stuart Cahill/The Boston Herald via AP, File)
BOSTON— The Boston Celtics say they expect forward Kristaps Porzingis to be ready in time for the start of training camp after being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
The team said Wednesday that Porzingis will go through a four- to six-week rehab program.
On Tuesday, Porzingis announced on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, that he would not play for Latvia in the World Cup because of the issue. He said he made the decision after an MRI in consultation with the Celtics and Latvian coaching and medical staffs.
The Fiba World Cup begins Aug. 25 in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Porzingis is one of many NBA players who are skipping the FIBA tournament.
Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo said he can’t play because of his ongoing recovery from knee surgery and NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic of the champion Denver Nuggets opted not to play for Serbia because of his short offseason. Jokic’s Denver teammate Jamal Murray is out for Canada for the same reason.
No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs declined to play for France so he could prepare for his first NBA season.
The Celtics netted the 7-foot-3 forward born in Liepaja, Latvia, from the Washington Wizards in June the night before the NBA draft, executing a three-team trade that also included Marcus Smart — who’d been Boston’s most-tenured veteran — heading to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Porzingis averaged a career-high 23.2 points per game along with 8.4 rebounds last season in Washington.