(Basketball News) The Serbian Basketball Federation made the distressing announcement that forward Borisa Simanic had to undergo kidney removal due to an injury sustained during a World Cup game against South Sudan. Simanic underwent two surgeries in Manila, with additional complications arising after the initial procedure, leading to the kidney’s removal in a second operation conducted on Sunday.

Serbia is set to face Lithuania in a World Cup quarterfinal on Tuesday. The news profoundly affected the team, with Serbian forward Nikola Milutinov expressing their shock and concern during Monday’s practice. He mentioned that initially, they couldn’t fathom the severity of the situation, and they are all hoping for Borisa’s swift recovery.

Borisa sustained the injury with less than 2 minutes remaining in Serbia’s victory over South Sudan the previous Wednesday. The incident occurred as South Sudan’s Nuni Omot attempted to score under the basket, unintentionally elbowing Simanic in the process. Simanic cried out in pain and subsequently dropped to his knees.

Omot, in a statement released through South Sudan’s basketball federation on Monday, expressed his deep sadness regarding Serbian International’s injuries, emphasizing that it was an unintentional and unfortunate play. He expressed sympathy for Borisa’s situation and wished him a speedy recovery.

Milutinov shared that the injury had deeply shaken the Serbian team, and they were actively seeking blood donations for Simanic due to significant blood loss during the incident. He described it as an incredibly challenging moment for everyone involved and hoped such an ordeal would never happen to any player worldwide. The team does not have a definite timeline for Simanic’s release from the Manila hospital where he is currently receiving treatment. Simanic had contributed three points in approximately 20 minutes of play off the bench in three World Cup games for Serbia.

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