Josh Giddey suffers hip injury in race for NBA Rookie of the Year

Giddey has set the NBA alight since joining the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, but his coach Mark Daigneault revealed on Monday (AEDT) that it could be “some time” before he’s back in action.

The injury kept Giddey out of last weekend’s overtime defeat of the Indiana Pacers he will also sit out the clash against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday (AEDT).

Daigneault admitted he didn’t know when the young Aussie would be back on the floor.

“That could be longer than tomorrow, he could miss some time,” Daigneault said.

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In his last game, against the Phoenix Suns, 19-year-old Giddey took on more work with the basketball.

Daigneault revealed afterwards that going forward, Giddey would play on the ball more often, meaning he will take on an organising role when the Thunder is attacking the basket.

The shift comes after the Aussie broke a handful of records on arrival in the NBA.

Giddey is now the youngest, second-youngest, third-youngest and fourth-youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double. He’s also the first rookie since the 1960-61 season to do so in three consecutive games.

Giddey has won the Western Conference’s Rookie of the Month gong in each of the first three months of the NBA season so is no stranger to the Rookie of the Year conversation.

However, he risks falling behind the pack in the race for the award if he spends significant time on the sidelines.

Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Larry Bird are among previous winners who have gone on to have storied careers in the NBA.

Giddey would be just the second Aussie in history to be named Rookie of the Year after Ben Simmons earnt the award in 2018. Australian-born American Kyrie Irving also claimed the gong in 2012.