Why did Scoot Henderson wear goggles vs. Jazz? More on Blazers' rookie

Jazz Trail Blazers Basketball — Portland Trail Blazers rookie point guard Scoot Henderson

Portland Trail Blazers rookie point guard Scoot Henderson made his highly-anticipated return on Wednesday after missing nine games in a row. However, fans noticed something different about the 2023 No. 3 pick’s appearance.

Henderson donned a pair of goggles as he checked in during the first quarter of the Blazers’ matchup against the Utah Jazz. This left some confused, as he returned from an ankle injury, not an eye injury.

However, according to Blazers reporter Brooke Olzendam, Henderson wore goggles because he recently got contacts. So, the goggles were a preventative measure to stop him from fiddling with his contacts during the game:

“So, he recently got contacts, and as anyone who wears contacts for the first time knows, it’s hard to not mess with them,” Olzendam said.

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“So, the thought process was to have Scoot wear goggles in hopes that would deter him from touching his contacts over and over.”

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Scoot Henderson’s slow start continues

Portland Trail Blazers rookie point guard Scoot Henderson

Before Wednesday, Scoot Henderson last played on Nov. 1 against the Detroit Pistons. During that game, he sustained a right ankle sprain and bone bruise that sidelined him for over three weeks.

Following his injury, the Blazers sent Henderson to the NBA G League for “return to court conditioning.” They also opted to bring him off the bench against Utah as part of his ramp-up process.

Henderson finished with three points, three rebounds, seven assists and three turnovers on 14.3% shooting in 17 minutes against the Jazz.

The No. 3 pick continues to struggle with inefficiency and turnovers. However, perhaps as he gains his rhythm, he can provide Portland with a much-needed offensive spark.

With their 121-105 win over the Jazz (4-11), the Blazers (4-11) snapped their eight-game losing streak.

Henderson and the Blazers next play the Milwaukee Bucks (10-5) on the road on Sunday.

Through six games, Henderson is averaging 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.5 steals, 3.8 turnovers and 0.3 3-pointers per game on 32.2% shooting.