The Portland Trail Blazers have announced via press release that rookie reserve guard Elliot Williams, the team's first round pick in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Memphis, has suffered a dislocated right patella and is "likely" out for the remainder of the 2010-2011 season.
Here's the release.
ELLIOT WILLIAMS TO UNDERGO SURGERY
PORTLAND, Ore. - Trail Blazers guard Elliot Williams will undergo surgery to repair a dislocated right patella, the Trail Blazers announced today.
The injury occurred Wednesday, Nov. 3, during court conditioning drills at the team's Practice Facility. Williams will be re-evaluated after surgery but will likely miss the rest of the regular season.
Portland selected Williams with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft. He has not appeared in a game for the Trail Blazers this season.
Williams, 21, posted averages of 17.9 points (45.9% FG, 36.6% 3-PT, 75.8% FT), 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.32 steals in 34 games (all starts) as a sophomore at Memphis in 2009-10, earning All-Conference USA First Team and Conference USA Newcomer of the Year honors.
The 6-5, 183-pound guard played his freshman year at Duke in 2008-09, where he averaged 4.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 34 games before transferring to Memphis.
Williams, a combo guard, has spent most of the early season on the inactive list, unable to crack the rotation at either position given Portland's extremely crowded back court.