After a strong preseason performance, anticipation was high to see Gabe Vincent on the court. However, the excitement may have jinxed things, as the Lakers guard had to leave mid-game. The match between the Lakers and the Kings was tightly contested, with both teams tied at 84-84 in the third quarter. It remains uncertain whether Vincent will return.

According to injury reports, Vincent suffered an ankle injury and went to the locker room for an assessment. The severity of the injury is still unclear.

He appeared to roll his ankle early in the third quarter and was quickly substituted out. The 29-year-old was seen limping off the court. Jake LaRavia and Dalton Knecht are expected to step in for him.

Vincent had played about 20 minutes and scored 3 points with a rebound and assist each. It doesn’t help that the Lakers are missing some star power with Luka Doncic out for a week and LeBron still having weeks to go before he can return. Probably why fans online are even more frustrated right now given the list of injuries right off the season.

Doncic is also on the sidelines with a left leg contusion and left finger injury but is expected to return before Bron can. Vincent was James’ backup for the fifth starting position. So now the Lakers are even more strapped in their rotation.

Lakers nation has a lot of emotional investment in Gabe Vincent

An update from the Lakers at the start of the fourth quarter (the score remains tight at 101-100 in favor of the Kings) officially confirmed that Gabe Vincent would not return for the rest of the game due to an ankle sprain.

No one expected the outcome to hinge so heavily on Gabe Vincent. Undrafted in 2018 and sent to the G-League by the Kings, Vincent had little recognition at the time. It wasn’t until six years later that he finally broke out.

During his time with the Miami Heat, he scored a career-high 29 points in a playoff series against the Celtics and contributed a team-high 23 points in his first finals appearance. However, those efforts were not enough to secure a championship for the Heat over the Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers signed him shortly after but it was a while before he found his position in LeBron’s team. Things changed when D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis were abruptly traded. No one in the Lakers locker room felt secure and untradeable anymore. Vincent admitted that as a backup, his anxiety about getting traded was amplified. Yet JJ Redick spoke highly of his potential. 

That’s how Vincent took a gamble and bought a house in LA with intent to stay here longer. After an injury, surgery, and diminished roles, the guard averaged 16.3 points over four preseason games while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from three. He hit free throws, made 18 points in under five minutes, and showed the skills that made Miami put him in the starting lineup in the postseason.

LeBron James also hyped him in a post, “GV going crazy right now!!! Sheesh 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥” Without James, he has more on-ball opportunities. Suddenly fans were betting on Gabe Vincent. Literally.

Gabe Vincent’s supporters are expressing concern over his injury, with many posts immediately following his departure to the locker room and subsequent ruling out being harsh in tone. However, the reaction doesn’t have to be so negative.

According to Dan Woike’s sources, Vincent’s X-rays came back clean, suggesting the sprain may not be severe. He could potentially return to action in the next game just as quickly.