Josh Giddey has disclosed that he ruptured an ankle ligament during the Tokyo Olympics but remains on track to be ready for the Chicago Bulls’ NBA season opener. The 21-year-old Australian guard suffered the injury during Australia’s 95-90 overtime quarter-final loss to Serbia, where the Boomers squandered a 24-point lead and were eliminated from medal contention.
Giddey continued playing through the injury but later learned, upon returning to Melbourne, that he had ruptured his anterior talofibular ligament. This serious ankle injury has required nearly two months of rehabilitation. Giddey explained that he spent the first month recovering in Australia before heading to Chicago, where the Bulls acquired him in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Alex Caruso.
Discussing his recovery at the Bulls’ media day, Giddey remained optimistic. “The ankle is getting better; it’s getting to the point where I’m almost back out there,” he said. “We’ve got time on our side… so we’re making sure it’s 100% before we get back into playing.”
Despite the setback, Giddey assured fans that he would be fit for the Bulls’ first regular-season game against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 24. “If it was a playoff game, I’d be out there playing, but because we’re in the off-season, this isn’t something you want to rush.”
Reflecting on the Olympic loss to Serbia, Giddey admitted it was a tough pill to swallow. “That was a game that sat with me for weeks after it happened. It was probably the most heartbreaking loss of my career. We had every opportunity to win that game and move onto the semi-finals,” he said.
In addition to Giddey, Matisse Thybulle, a key figure for Australia in the Tokyo Olympics, also reflected on his omission from the Paris squad. The Portland Trail Blazers’ wing admitted he had assumed he would be selected. “What do you learn from it? I guess that nothing’s guaranteed,” Thybulle said. “There’s been plenty to think about and process.”
As Giddey transitions to the Bulls, he is keen to improve his defensive game, especially given the departure of elite perimeter defender Alex Caruso. “There comes a point in a player’s career where the fork is put in the road with where you’re at defensively. You don’t want to get to a point in your career where you’re known as the weak link on that end of the floor,” Giddey emphasized.
