The NBA season is less than a week old, but unfortunately it’s already over for Taylor Hendricks.

The second-year forward for the Utah Jazz suffered one of the most horrific injuries in recent memory, with no other players anywhere near him.

Hendricks’ timetable is unknown but injuries of this magnitude tend to have a 9-12 month recovery (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)Getty Images – Getty

Hendricks was running back on offense, when he appeared to lose his footing, tripping over and causing his leg to buckle.

Something that looked very routine, very harmless.

But the result was devastating, as his right leg folded out and bent in a way that no leg should bend.

The Jazz fell to the Dallas Mavericks, 110-102, but head coach Will Hardy shrugged off the result, wanting the focus to be on Hendricks.

The 22-year-old suffered a fractured right fibula and dislocated right ankle.

Hardy was heartbroken after the game for his young player.

“Obviously the most important thing is Taylor,” Hardy said. “That’s hard to stomach.

“He’s put in a lot of hard work, he’s a great kid and so we’re really just trying to focus on him, his health, keeping his spirits up as he begins the road of his recovery.

“These are the moments in sports that suck. He’s put in a lot of work, and he deserves an opportunity.”

Keyonte George, who was taken in the same draft as Hendricks and has since formed a strong relationship with him, was crushed.

“I was trying to hold myself together, but it’s bigger than just basketball,” George said.

“I see him every day and we talk about stuff other than basketball. It’s just put me in an emotional state, because I know when I went down (with an ankle injury), he was the same way for me.

“That’s just my brother. I didn’t know him growing up, but building a relationship with him over the year, he felt like family. I told him I loved him, told him I’m here for him, whatever he needs.”

George spoke not only on the loss of Hendricks as a person, but what losing him as a member of their rotation will mean.

“You talk about giving something to the team, he was willing to give up his whole offensive game to stop the guy that we wanted to stop each and every night,” George said.

“We talk about being selfless all the time. I think he was really giving it all he had on what his job was each and every night so far.”

As the gruesome clip of the injury started to go viral, fans were quick to rush in with their prayers and concerns.

‘Absolutely terrible for Taylor. He is in my thoughts & prayers,’ one fan posted on X. ‘Prayers, this is such a freak injury, I still dunno how this can happen,’ another fan chimed in.

‘Just the worst possible thing to happen to a young player.’ More reaction poured in.

A lot of prayers and a lot of squeamish reaction, as what normally happens with an injury as horrific as Hendricks’ was.

Now the long road of recovery begins for Hendricks, and hopefully this devastating injury can just be a footnote when it’s all said and done, after a long accomplished career.