Aaliyah Edwards' Unrivaled Season Halted by Injury: A Moment of Suspense and Concern
The Unrivaled 3x3 women's basketball league's second season experienced a dramatic pause as Aaliyah Edwards suffered an injury, leaving fans and players alike holding their breath.
With just over a minute remaining in the third quarter of a Monday matchup between the Lunar Owls and Rose, Edwards, who had previously shone as the runner-up in the inaugural Unrivaled 1-on-1 tournament last February, was making a breakaway layup after receiving a pass from teammate Marina Mabrey. But here's where it gets controversial...
As Edwards went up for the shot, Shakira Austin blocked her from behind, sending her crashing to the court. The former UConn forward's head hit the padded base of the hoop, and the defender landed directly on her leg.
Several players from the Rose immediately sprang into action, shielding Edwards from view with towels and pushing a nearby camera away to give her privacy while medical staff attended to her.
Analyst Lisa Leslie provided insight during a slow-motion replay of the incident, stating, "That was tough right there because Aaliyah Edwards landed very awkwardly. And again, no malice intended but it was the landing." She added, "And then the leg spins the wrong way. That's one of those yoga poses. You see somebody in the pose that I don't think you're supposed to be in, that's tough." Leslie also noted, "This is always the toughest part of the game. It's just, you know, injuries and the possibilities of what could go wrong."
Fortunately, Edwards was able to walk off the court under her own power, greeted by cheers from the crowd at the Sephora Arena. She was later ruled out for the remainder of the game due to an upper-body injury. Before her early exit, Edwards had an impressive performance, scoring 23 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and making 1 steal, all team-highs, with a field goal percentage of 10 out of 19.
Following the incident, social media was flooded with well wishes for Edwards' speedy recovery. One X user wrote, "Happy to see Aaliyah Edwards getting up and walking under her own power hope she'll be okay," while another added, "They better put Aaliyah Edwards on concussion protocol right now." A third chimed in, "I’m amazed & very glad Aaliyah Edwards was able to get up and look ok after that fall cuz that was a scary one."
Earlier in the week, Edwards had expressed her excitement about playing in Unrivaled, where she had gained national attention the previous season. Leslie mentioned that Edwards was eager to play, stating, "She's talked to me in practice a few days ago ... about how excited she is." Leslie added, "Not that she is hurt but the opportunity that she'll have to fill these plays, playing in the winter. So we hope that she can recover from whatever her injury is right now and still have the opportunity to play."
And this is the part most people miss...
What are your thoughts on player safety in high-intensity sports like basketball? Do you think the protective measures are adequate, or is there room for improvement? Share your opinions in the comments below!
