Basketball Player's Eye Pops Out Of Its Socket During Game

Disclaimer: highly graphic video.

A basketball player's eye popped out of its socket mid-game in a freak accident.

Akil Mitchell was facing the Cairns Taipans with his team the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL when opponent Nnanna Egwu managed to catch the eye of the power forward.

Players rush to Mitchell's aide as he panics on the floor. "Oh we need a medical right now," a commentator says.

The game was called off for 15 minutes while Mitchell was escorted off the court with a towel covering his head.

General manager for the Breakers, Dillon Boucher, told New Zealand Herald that Mitchell will not suffer any long-term damage.

"Akil is sitting up and resting, and has vision to his injured eye," he confirmed.

"While there is some damage, the early reports are very positive that the injury is not as serious as first feared."

Mitchell apparently kept calm during the whole affair, even prepping his team on his way to the hospital.

Assistant coach Mike Fitchett said: "Akil was in the changing room and said, 'Make sure we win the rebound battle'.

Credit: Liveleak

"The guys wanted to keep playing - they knew that's what Akil would have wanted in that situation.

"Obviously it's very difficult to carry on when you see something like that, but the guys did an admirable job."

Not to end on a downer, but the Breakers ended up losing 94-81. It's Friday, though!

Topics: Basketball

Josh Teal

Josh Teal is a journalist at LADbible. He has contributed to the 'Knowing Me, Knowing EU' and 'UOKM8?' campaigns interviewing everyone from student drug dealers to climate change activists.

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