The wife of Boston Celtics star Gordon Hayward is thanking fans for their support after her husband suffered a gruesome injury in Tuesday night's season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Robyn Hayward shared a quote on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon that said, "When everything seems like it's falling apart, that's when God is putting things together just the way he wants it."
"I truly believe this," she said. "Thanks for all the prayers for Gordon and our family. It sucks, but this is what happens..."
Numerous athletes and Bostonians - including former Celtic Isaiah Thomas - took to social media in the wake of Hayward's injury to let him know they are thinking about him.
Hayward began undergoing surgery Wednesday night, his father announced on Twitter. He is expected to make a full recovery, according to head coach Brad Stevens.
Hayward, who signed a four-year, $128 million free agent contract this summer, went up for an alley-oop pass midway through the first quarter and collided with LeBron James. Hayward's leg twisted underneath him as he came back to the floor. The 27-year-old collapsed under the basket and looked in horror as his left foot was pointing outward.
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He put his hands to his face and dropped back to the floor as a hush fell over the charged sellout crowd inside Quicken Loans Arena, which had come to boo Kyrie Irving in his return to Cleveland after being traded to Boston this summer.
Hayward's new teammates huddled in prayer at their bench as a distressed James covered his mouth and several Cleveland players nearby looked away. Hayward had his leg placed in an air cast, and James came over and consoled him before he was pushed from the floor on a stretcher and taken for treatment.
Cleveland's crowd gave Hayward a roaring ovation as he left.
The team tweeted that Hawyard's left ankle was broken. But Stevens said after the game that Hayward suffered a dislocated ankle and a fractured tibia. Wednesday, he said tests confirmed that diagnosis, and that he is expected to make a full recovery.
The Celtics tweeted a video Hayward shot from a hospital bed, and showed it before Wednesday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Losing the small forward is a devastating blow for the Celtics, who had overhauled their roster with the signing of Hayward and acquisition of Irving in hopes of closing the gap on the Cavs in the Eastern Conference.
Now, they will be without Hayward for an extended period as he will likely need surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation.
