Eimantas Bendzius reached the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup with the Lithuanian national team but suffered an Achilles tendon injury during the tournament, which will require surgery.
According to Italian journalist Alessandro Luigi Maggi, this is one of the most severe injuries a professional athlete can experience at the World Cup. This is concerning news for Dinamo Sassari, as they had hopes for strong performances from Bendzius in the upcoming season.
During the World Cup, Eimantas Bendzius played a total of five games, with his last appearance being in the victory against the United States, where he scored ten points in 16 minutes on the court.
It appears that he sustained the injury during that game, as he subsequently missed matches against Serbia, Slovenia, and Latvia. His best individual performance was against Greece, where he scored 15 points while missing just one shot from the field (5/6).
Lithuania’s quest for a medal ended in the quarterfinals when they were defeated by the Serbian national team. They went on to win against Slovenia in the classification round but ultimately lost to Latvia. As a result, Eimantas Bendzius and his team finished the FIBA World Cup in sixth place.
Recovery from an Achilles tendon surgery typically keeps a professional athlete off the court for an entire competitive season.