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Serbia initially ruled out forward Borisa Simanic from the rest of the FIBA World Cup after he sustained an injury against South Sudan. More details have now emerged about Simanic's injury.
According to Basket News (h/t Telegraf), Simanic lost one of his kidneys after undergoing emergency surgery in a hospital in Manila. The Serbian Basketball Federation (KSS) previously announced that his kidney and all its functions were preserved.
"It was a huge shock for all of us. We could not have expected that such a blow could be not only painful but tragic," Serbia head coach Svetislav Pesic said.
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"It's good that it's over. The team was together all night. They were searching for extra blood because it was not possible to collect enough since Borisa was bleeding a lot. It ended well."
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The injury happened in Serbia's 115-83 win over South Sudan in the first round. With less than two minutes left in the game. South Sudan forward Nuni Omot grabbed an offensive rebound with Borisa Simanic guarding him.
Omot faked a shot before turning around and hitting the easy layup. During his turn, an errant elbow hit Simanic in his stomach and he was heard screaming on the broadcast. The injury was severe enough that he needed medical attention after the game.
The Telegraf report also added that there are questions about the future of Simanic's career. He's now out of the FIBA World Cup and will likely be evaluated to see if he can continue playing basketball professionally.
Nuni Omot defends himself after Borisa Simanic's injury
In an interview on Thursday, Nuni Omot of South Sudan commented on Borisa Simanic's injury. Omot apologized to Simanic but defended himself from fans who called him a dirty player.
"I heard that he ended up going to the hospital," Omot said. "My apologies, I didn't mean to make no type of a dirty play. I hope you have a speedy recovery. I pray for you, you'll be in my prayers. I'm not a dirty player. I've never been a dirty player.
"From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely apologize to everyone that's watching and to the player especially."
