Jaylen Wells drops 2-word message for Grizzlies after brutal injury leaves him with bloodied face

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells was stretchered out of the Spectrum Center in Charlotte after a bad fall on the court. Wells suffered a broken wrist and a huge gash on his forehead in a scary accident against the Hornets. Despite what happened, the young forward was able to send a two-word message to Grizzlies fans.

On his Instagram stories, Wells shared a selfie from a hospital in Charlotte. He was still wearing his Grizzlies jersey, while sporting a big scar above his right eyebrow and a heavily banded right wrist. He's expected to undergo several tests and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Wells can also move his extremities, which is great news as the Hornets' medical team did a quick and fantastic job in securing his neck and back. He also added a simple message for his supporters and the Grizzlies nation.

"Go Grizz," Wells wrote.

Jaylen Wells shared this on his Instagram stories. (Photo: @jaylenwellss on IG)

The accident happened late in the second quarter with around a minute left in the first half. Jaylen Wells had a fast break and went for the dunk. Charlotte Hornets' guard KJ Simpson tried to block the shot but didn't have the vertical to reach it. Simpson landed first, which undercut Wells on the air and caused him to fall on his back and head.

Wells was immediately busted open and appeared to be unconscious. Players, coaches, and medical personnel quickly tended to the former Washington State guard. He was taken out on a stretcher as players and fans prayed for his safety.

Simpson was called for a flagrant foul two, so he was tossed from the game. The Grizzlies went on to blow out the Hornets 124-100.

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Hornets players defend KJ Simpson from criticism over Jaylen Wells' injury

A lot of fans online are blaming KJ Simpson for the dangerous play that caused Jaylen Wells to lose his balance and suffer injuries. Simpson was defended by his coach and teammates after the game, with Miles Bridges explaining that his teammate wasn't a dirty player.

"I think first of all, the only thing we can do is just pray for Jaylen Wells," Bridges said. "He’s a great guy. I’ve talked to him a couple times and he seems like a great kid. It’s very unfortunate what happened to him. I know KJ is not a dirty guy. It was just an unfortunate situation, but I hear things are going well for him."

Simpson was initially called for a personal foul before officials reviewed the replay and upgraded it to a flagrant penalty two. It's unclear if the NBA will suspend the rookie guard for what happened to his fellow 2024 draft class member.