Injury sidelines Wilcox

Chris Wilcox

Former Whiteville High basketball star Chris Wilcox sat out his first game since joining the Seattle SuperSonics in February of 2006 in Monday’s 98-90 homecourt loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Wilcox, the Sonics’ leading rebounder and second leading scorer, went to the floor with a sprained left knee late in the third quarter of the Sonics’ 109-90 home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It was reported that the 6-foot-10 Wilcox stayed on the floor for several minutes while being examined by the team trainer and physician before rising and limping to the bench. He did not return to action.

An MRI of the injury showed no structural damage but Wilcox was unable to run the floor prior to Monday’s game, and his status remains uncertain for the Sonics’ game tonight at Phoenix.

Prior to the injury, Wilcox had connected on seven of his 11 field goal attempts om the game.

If Wilcox’s injury wasn’t enough, Kevin Durant, the Sonics’ rookie sensation out of the University of Texas and the team’s leading scorer, suffered a sprained finger in the Minnesota win and he also sat out the loss to Philadelphia.

Wilcox and Durant had started all 30 games for the Sonics this season prior to Monday night.

Wilcox, who was the Los Angles Clippers’ 2002 first-round draft pick out of Maryland, is averaging 13.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season.