Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic spoke publicly about his hamstring strain for the first time on Wednesday and offered a clue about just how significant the injury was.
Doncic admitted he is still unsure when he will be able to return to action after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain on April 2. He told reporters that he was originally told that he would be out for eight weeks when he suffered the injury.
“The day I did the MRI on the hamstring, the doctor told me eight weeks [recovery] at the beginning,” Doncic said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m doing everything I can in the process, and I think we’re on a good way. But at the beginning, he told me eight weeks.”
Doncic added that he was doing “everything I can” to get back at some point during the Lakers’ Western Conference Semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If Doncic returns at any point in the playoffs, it would probably count as being ahead of schedule. An eight-week injury in early April would mean Doncic would not have been expected to return until sometime in early June. That simply is not an option, since the shorthanded Lakers would almost certainly need him to ensure they are still playing at that point.
Doncic still has not started any contact drills, suggesting he is still pretty far from a return. As much as he would love to get back into action, it does not sound imminent.
