Marcin Gortat (middle) Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Phoenix Suns star Marcin Gortat left the court injured last week during his team’s match against the Toronto Raptors.

Mr Gortat had scored eight points before he went over on his right ankle with 38 seconds of the first quarter remaining. The injury now looks set to keep the Pole out of the Suns’ games for at least three weeks, but it’s quite possible he won’t be able to play again this season, which ends in six weeks.

“I actually stepped on someone’s toe or foot with my heel, and that’s why ... I don’t know what happened, I just heard a pop,” Mr Gortat was quoted by Fox Sports as saying.

“I’m definitely not going to work all this [time] just to come back for one or two games,” he added.

With Mr Gortat forced off, his team put in a woeful display, going down 98-71 to the Raptors. If not for a three-pointer from Marcus Morris with just 23 seconds left on the clock, the Suns would have tied the all-time lowest score in the franchise’s history.

The injury might also force Mr Gortat out of this year’s European championships, which will take place in Slovenia in September.

“I’d rather just rest the rest of the year. I can tell you [one] thing: I’m going to definitely consider not going to the (Polish) national team again and not playing another 20 games in the off-season. That’s what really screwed me over. I was just stupid.”

David Ingham