Jaylen Williams and Kayson Wallace will miss the Oklahoma City Thunder indefinitely, after undergoing two surgeries to treat two injuries they sustained, according to what the general manager of the club participating in the American Professional Basketball League (NBA) announced.
Williams suffered a fracture of the fibula and a dislocation of his left ankle, while Wallace suffered a tear in the meniscus of the left shoulder during the victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
The return date of the main players will not be determined before the completion of the two surgeries, but both are threatened with absence until the end of the season based on previous similar injury cases.
General Manager Sam Presti said in a press conference: “We are very optimistic about the players’ recovery,” adding: “Most importantly, things could have been much worse.”
Thunder began the new season in the league with 4 consecutive victories, with impressive contributions from the players in the first three matches.
Williams averaged 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and one steal per game, while Wallace averaged 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.3 assists per game.
“When things like this happen, it's very difficult,” Presti said. These kinds of challenges are thrown your way, and you have to keep going. Take hits and overcome obstacles. Our players are ready to do this.”
Presti explained that he had not yet thought about concluding deals to enhance the team’s chances in the short term, adding: “I have not given this matter much thought.”
This also includes any attempt to dissuade former Thunder star Russell Westbrook from retiring. The best player in the league in 2017 announced his retirement last August, at the age of 37, after 18 seasons in the league, including the period from 2008 to 2019 with Oklahoma City.
Last year, Williams signed a five-year contract extension worth $239 million, after playing during the team's journey to the title while suffering from torn ligaments in his right wrist.
He missed 19 games last season while recovering from wrist surgery, and also suffered repeated injuries to the hamstring muscle throughout the season, before suffering this new setback.
As for Wallace, who signed a five-year contract extension last week worth $139 million, he suffered his injury in the first quarter after colliding with a moving barrier.
The Chinese government entered into the controversy surrounding Frenchman Kylian Mbappe, the Spanish Real Madrid striker, after he appeared in a video clip describing the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a “dictator,” in statements that sparked angry reactions within China and led to him losing a number of advertising contracts with local companies.
According to the French newspaper L'Equipe, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered that the Chinese society's rejection of the statements attributed to Mbappe represents a natural reaction, in light of the historical and political status enjoyed by Mao Zedong within the country.
Gu Jiaqun, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a regular press conference: “Any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally face collective rejection from the entire Chinese society.”
The crisis is due to the spread of a video clip on social media platforms, in which Mbappe appears talking about the sarcastic images in which Internet users use his face, before he indicated that the image that aroused his laughter the most was a composite image in which his face appears on the body of a person he believes is a “Chinese dictator.”
It seems that the French player was referring to a sarcastic image in which his face was superimposed on the image of the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, which sparked widespread criticism, due to the sensitivity associated with this character in Chinese political history.
The repercussions of the incident escalated after several Chinese companies ended their advertising relationships with Mbappe, accusing him of insulting national sentiments, at a time when the player was one of the advertising faces of Dongping Company, one of the major companies operating in the beverage sector in China.
The issue is gaining special sensitivity in China. Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China in 1949, still enjoys a prominent official status, and is presented as one of the pivotal figures in the founding of the modern state, despite the widespread historical controversy regarding his policies.
Mao ruled China until his death in 1976, and his leadership period witnessed major political and economic campaigns, including the “Great Leap Forward,” which was associated with widespread famine, and the “Cultural Revolution,” which witnessed purges and political and social unrest.
Historical estimates presented in the report indicate that the policies and events associated with his rule caused the death of tens of millions, with estimates differing among historians regarding the total number of victims.
The crisis comes at a time when Mbappe occupies a prominent position on the global football scene, after finishing second in the 2026 Ballon d'Or standings behind Englishman Harry Kane, achieving his best position in the history of his participation in the award.
As the controversy moved from social media platforms to the official government position, the issue went beyond the French player’s personal statements, to include his commercial relations in the Chinese market, which represents one of the important markets for global sports sponsorship and marketing.
Thomas Tuchel, coach of the England national football team, praised Harry Kane after he became the first English player in 25 years to win the Ballon d'Or.
British news agency PA Media reported that the German Bayern Munich striker faced competition from Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, a Real Madrid player, and Spanish Lamine Yamal, a Barcelona player, before becoming the fifth English player to receive the award.
Tuchel said: “Congratulations, Harry, on the Ballon d’Or award you deserve.” He added: “I have run out of words of praise to describe your performance for a long time, but I am very pleased to see that you have now received official recognition from the world of football.” He continued: “Becoming the first English player to win this great honor in 25 years makes the achievement even more special, and we are fortunate to have you as our leader.” He continued: “I know that you will enjoy that moment with your loved ones, before you return to what you are good at more than anything else; “It is scoring goals and winning football matches.”
For his part, Prince William, patron of the English Football Association, congratulated Kane. The Prince of Wales wrote on his Instagram account: “What a wonderful and completely deserved achievement.” He added: “An outstanding leader, an exceptional player, and a person who gave football fans around the world many unforgettable moments.”
Jimmy Krager, who partnered with Michael Owen when he won the Ballon d'Or in 2001, pointed out that the achievement came after a long wait. "I'm very happy," Krager told Sky Sports. What a great career he has had, what a special player he is, and we, as a country, have not won enough Ballon d'Or awards. He added: “My former colleague Michael Owen was the last Englishman to win the award in 2001, so the wait was long.” He continued: “But as far as Harry Kane is concerned, and I also believe that Jude Bellingham will be a future Ballon d’Or winner, we have two of the greatest players of their generation. "I'm happy for Kane and for the country."
Krager believes that Kane's move to the German League three years ago contributed to his winning the award. “It was a transition that needed to be made,” he said. “I thought he might be obsessed with breaking the goal record in the English Premier League, but in fact he is obsessed with breaking scoring records in general, not this number alone.” He added: “But his transfer gave him a great opportunity to win the Champions League and compete for the Ballon d’Or.” Krager confirmed: “There was no possibility of Harry Kane winning the Ballon d’Or if he had continued to play for Tottenham.”
For his part, Thierry Henry, the former French national team star and co-host of the Ballon d'Or ceremony, said: "I will always support my French countrymen, but I must say something about Harry Kane." He added: “I followed him since his beginnings, and he had to suffer a lot and hard to achieve what he achieved. He is a deserving winner, and I congratulate him on this achievement.”
