Atlanta Hawks guard Kobe Bufkin will miss the rest of the ongoing 2024-25 NBA season as he is set to undergo shoulder surgery, the franchise announced on Wednesday.
The Hawks revealed that Bufkin will “undergo surgery to address right shoulder instability”, with the procedure scheduled for 7 January 2025, and the 21-year-old is expected to make a full recovery before the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
An @emoryhealthcare injury update:
After continued evaluation and additional medical opinions, guard Kobe Bufkin and the Hawks have determined that Bufkin will undergo surgery to address right shoulder instability on January 7, 2025.
He will miss the remainder of the 2024-25… pic.twitter.com/7hRSq0Z6DV
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 18, 2024
Bufkin has been dealing with lingering shoulder problems since he was selected by the Hawks with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft.
The guard partially dislocated his shoulder last year, which kept him from participating in the Summer League in his rookie campaign. He, however, suffered another injury in the same shoulder during a practice ahead of this season’s opener.
Bufkin has played just 10 games this campaign before Atlanta’s decision to abruptly end his season, with his last game being a 141-111 loss to the Denver Nuggets on 8 December.
With his season now shut down, Kobe Bufkin averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, shooting 38.3% from the field in his second NBA season.
The Hawks also revealed that center Onyeka Okongwu will be out for at least a week due to left knee inflammation.
The 24-year-old will miss Atlanta’s next four games, beginning with a road trip to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Thursday night.
An @emoryhealthcare injury update:
Center Onyeka Okongwu (left knee inflammation) will be out for the next four games and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.
His status will be updated as appropriate. pic.twitter.com/HmnDsrXqEU
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 18, 2024
Okongwu featured for the Hawks in their 110-102 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 NBA Cup and will be reevaluated in a week.
