A frightening scene halted play late in the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls Summer League game on Monday. Trey Alexander collapsed to the floor after driving to the basket. The attacking play had visible contact, which is usually normal. However, the 23-year-old required a stretcher to exit the arena.

The incident occurred with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Alexander drove hard, absorbing contact from Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson. Even though he bumped into Wilson’s side, he managed to flick the ball toward the rim. A foul was called, but the attention quickly shifted to Alexander.

The collision did not look severe enough to knock Alexander down initially. However, he walked past the baseline and suddenly dropped to the hardwood in agony. Onlookers noted that the 23-year-old was holding his left side and appeared to be struggling to breathe while writhing on the floor…

The game was immediately halted as Jazz medical personnel rushed to the guard. After several minutes of evaluation, medical experts determined he could not leave the court on his own. So, the staff wheeled out a stretcher to safely transport him back to the locker room.

While the exact injury was not revealed, the sight of him leaving on a stretcher has left everyone worried. The Jazz’s Summer League head coach, Steve Wojciechowski, said he couldn’t determine the injury, and the medical staff didn’t yet have an update.

The medical emergency put a heartbreaking halt to what was otherwise a good defensive performance by Alexander, who’s on a two-way contract. He’s still trying to get his feet wet in the NBA, but a serious injury could derail that.

Alexander had his share of struggles in the Summer League. On Monday, he struggled to find his offensive rhythm, missing all five field-goal attempts and scoring only two points before he was carried off. However, he anchored Utah’s defense, securing six rebounds, and helped the team win 80-63 over Chicago.

For players like Alexander, the Summer League carries immense professional stakes. After going undrafted out of Creighton in 2024, the guard has spent two years fighting for a permanent home in the league, appearing in 33 NBA games across stints with Denver and New Orleans. Alexander’s highest-scoring game in the NBA came in April last season when he notched 16 points and one assist on 7 for 11 shooting from the field against Minnesota.

He’d, however, spend a lot more time in the development league, where he found tremendous success, earning the 2024-25 G League Rookie of the Year award. His resilient play recently earned him a new two-way contract with the Jazz just last week, making this sudden injury setback particularly devastating.

As clips of the collision went viral on social media, basketball fans were united in offering prayers and support. Many who noted that he appeared to injure his torso, ribs, or an internal organ rather than his legs were comparing it to a similar incident involving other NBA players like Cade Cunningham. The most anxious parallels reminded fans of Chris Bosh’s career-ending health complications and Victor Wembanyama’s sophomore season ending due to blood clots.

As of Tuesday, the Jazz organization has not issued a formal update on the exact diagnosis or severity of Alexander’s condition. From a roster point of view, their backcourt is in a pretty good spot with breakout guard Keyonte George and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson. The second unit includes Isaiah Collier and Cody Williams. Meanwhile, head coach Will Hardy will welcome contributions from ex-Creighton star Trey Alexander to solidify his spot in the rotation.