SACRAMENTO -- There was a surprise visitor in the Kings’ locker room Saturday night after the team’s 122-102 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
For the first time since aggravating his left mid-foot sprain, second-year big man Marvin Bagley addressed the media while wearing a walking boot.
“I’m good man, I’m just taking it one day at time, staying positive, controlling what I can control,” Bagley said. “I’m just trying to make that I start feeling good and being able to get back out there and do what I do.”
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Bagley originally injured his foot on Dec. 26 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He missed eight games initially, but then aggravated the injury again on Jan. 18 against the Utah Jazz.
Despite the issue, Bagley played 38 minutes for the Kings two days later in Miami, but the pain intensified and he was forced to go back into a walking boot.
The team announced last week that Bagley will be re-examined following the All-Star break, but when asked if there was a possibility that he might sit the remaining 30 games of the season, the 20-year-old big was non-committal.
“I’m definitely going to try to come back this year, but that’s too far ahead at this point,” Bagley said. “The most important thing for me right now is to make sure I'm healthy.”
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“Honestly, who knows, I'm just going one day at a time with this, I'm trying not to think too far ahead,” Bagley added when asked again about the potential for missing the remainder of the season. “I obviously want to play, I want to be out there. It sucks. I've only played however many games I've played this season over things I can't control.”
Selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Bagley has played a total of 13 games this season for the Kings. He broke his right thumb in the season opener, which cost him 22 games and he’s missed a total of 17 contests with the foot injury.
For the season, he’s averaging 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in 25.7 minutes per game.
Following the Jan. 30 announcement that he would be re-examined in three weeks, Bagley deactivated all of his social media accounts. It’s a decision that has helped remove some of the negativity that has come with his repeated injury issues.
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“It’s something I did on my own, it’s a decision I made, it’s been working,” Bagley said. “I’m slowly getting back on Instagram, but it’s a decision I made and I’m happy with what I did.”
There is some hope that Bagley can get back on the court this season. The Kings would love to see him make his way back to the court to continue his development, but they have a lot invested in him and will take a cautious approach moving forward.