By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
An injury setback for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and specifically Wade Baldwin IV.
Baldwin, 27, was ruled out for at least one week, the Yellows announced Tuesday.
Per the press release: “Wade Baldwin underwent an MRI and is suffering from a muscle strain in his back. He will miss the next two games and will undergo further testing at a later date.”
Tipping off the new season with 11 points and six assists over 19 minutes in the 2023 Winner League Cup, Baldwin contributed to reaching the final of the domestic tournament in Israel. However, he did not play in the championship game opposite Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem. The team coached by Aleksandar Dzikic went on to upset the Tel Aviv outfit and lift the trophy on Sunday.
Switching to Round 1 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, Maccabi will start the new season without Baldwin. Partizan Mozzart Bet Menora visiting Mivtachim Arena raises the opening contest on Thursday. A home game versus Ironi Kiryat Lati Ata shapes the following challenge in Round 1 of the Winner League Regular Season on Sunday.
Upon being cleared to return to action, Baldwin will tip off his fifth campaign in EuroLeague. He logged 127 games played over four seasons since 2019 and arriving in Europe’s premier club competition, after 63 appearances in the NBA. Olympiacos, FC Bayern Munich, and Bitci Baskonia were the previous stops, before inking a two-year contract with the Israel powerhouse in 2022.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net