Scoot Henderson’s Off-Season Setback: Will This Hamstring Tear Alter His Rising Star Trajectory?

Heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, not all’s smooth sailing for the Portland Trail Blazers as their young point guard Scoot Henderson will be sidelined at the start. The team dropped the news Friday that Henderson tore his left hamstring during an offseason workout, knocking him out for potentially 4 to 8 weeks. It’s a bitter pill given Henderson’s rising trajectory—fresh off a solid sophomore run where he led Portland in assists with 5.1 per game and chipped in 12.7 points. While the exact return date remains hazy, Portland fans will have to wait as preseason tips off against Golden State on October 8, preluding the official opener versus Minnesota on October 22. With Jrue Holiday now taking the helm as a veteran floor general, Dalano Banton is poised to receive more minutes to fill the void. Unfortunately, Scoot isn’t the only star nursing an injury this offseason—Philadelphia’s Jared McCain and Houston’s Fred VanVleet have also hit setbacks. Tough breaks all around, but it’s part and parcel of the grind leading into what promises to be an electric NBA campaign. LEARN MORE

With the 2025-26 NBA season around the corner, Portland Trail Blazers point guard Scoot Henderson will be missing time to start the year. The team announced Friday that Henderson suffered a left hamstring tear during an offseason workout.

As a result of the injury, Henderson will be out 4-8 weeks. The team says Henderson can return to basketball activities in that time, though an exact timeline for his return is unclear.

Portland begins preseason Oct. 8 with a mathcup against the Golden State Warriors. The Trail Blazers’ season opener is set for Oct. 22, as the team hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Henderson, who was drafted No. 3 overall by Portland in 2023, was set to start his third season with the team. The 21-year-old point guard averaged 12.7 points, three rebounds and 5.1 assists per game last season, leading the team in assists per game.

Henderson was likely to stay on the bench this season behind veteran point guard Jrue Holiday, an offseason acquisition for the Trail Blazers. With Henderson out, Dalano Banton will likely get more time off the bench behind Holiday.

Henderson is the latest NBA player to suffer an injury during the offseason. Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain’s injury woes continued after tearing a ligament in his thumb Thursday. Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending ACL tear during a team workout in the Bahamas, with the veteran guard successfully undergoing surgery.