Panathinaikos ahead Nigel Hayes-Davis suffered a fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his left hand throughout apply Tuesday, creating one other early-season damage concern for a workforce that may already start the marketing campaign with out Kendrick Nunn.
Panathinaikos introduced that Hayes-Davis was taken to HYGEIA Hospital instantly after the damage, the place examinations confirmed the fracture. A particular splint was utilized, however the membership didn’t announce a restoration timeline.
The damage comes simply weeks earlier than the beginning of the brand new season and provides uncertainty to Hayes-Davis’ availability after he grew to become an vital a part of Panathinaikos’ rotation throughout the 2025-26 EuroLeague marketing campaign. He averaged 14.1 factors, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 16 EuroLeague appearances, capturing 42.7% from the sphere and 34.1% from three-point vary.
Hayes-Davis was notably useful as a fringe scoring choice. He tried 5.5 three-pointers per EuroLeague sport whereas additionally capturing 86.4% from the free-throw line, giving Panathinaikos spacing alongside Nunn and its different main creators.
The American ahead additionally spent the earlier two seasons with Fenerbahce, the place his offensive manufacturing elevated considerably. In 2024-25, he averaged 16.8 factors and 5.2 rebounds in 34 EuroLeague video games whereas capturing 42.3% from three-point vary and 89.2% on the free-throw line.
His 2023-24 season with Fenerbahce produced 14.5 factors per sport in 30 EuroLeague appearances, together with 38.7% three-point capturing. Hayes-Davis had subsequently established himself as a high-volume perimeter menace earlier than becoming a member of Panathinaikos.
The timing of the fracture is particularly vital as a result of Panathinaikos is already coping with Nunn’s knee damage. In August, Nunn suffered a medial meniscus tear in his proper knee throughout particular person exercises in the US earlier than present process a profitable arthroscopic partial meniscectomy on August 19.
Nunn led Panathinaikos in EuroLeague scoring final season at 18.2 factors per sport throughout 37 appearances, whereas Hayes-Davis ranked second among the many workforce’s common scorers at 14.1 factors. Shedding each gamers, even briefly, would take away 32.3 factors per sport from final season’s high two scorers.
Panathinaikos completed the 2025-26 EuroLeague common season seventh at 22-16 earlier than eliminating into the playoffs. Valencia defeated Panathinaikos 3-2 in the quarterfinal series.
The membership has additionally undergone main modifications throughout the offseason. Ergin Ataman departed as head coach, whereas Zeljko Obradovic was appointed through 2029. Panathinaikos added Moustapha Fall, Guerschon Yabusele, Brancou Badio, Isaac Bonga and Sylvain Francisco whereas shedding gamers together with Cedi Osman, TJ Shorts and Marius Grigonis.
The instant query is now how rapidly Hayes-Davis can return from the fourth metacarpal fracture. Panathinaikos has not offered a timetable, leaving his standing for the opening video games of the season unclear.
