Philadelphia’s center depth took an immediate preseason hit Tuesday: Ariel Hukporti will have surgery after rupturing his right Achilles tendon in his first exhibition appearance with the 76ers.
The injury came in the opening quarter against the New York Knicks, with Hukporti going down without contact roughly six minutes into the game. He was unable to leave under his own power and received help from former Knicks teammate Karl-Anthony Towns on the way off the floor.
An MRI performed Tuesday confirmed the rupture in Hukporti’s right Achilles. The Sixers did not announce a timetable for his return.
From the locker room
Hukporti is entering his third NBA season after starting his career in New York. Dallas selected the German native with the No. 58 pick in the 2024 draft, then sent his rights to the Knicks on draft night.
He filled a reserve role for New York across his first two seasons, playing in 79 games. That run included the Knicks’ 2025-26 championship season.
Philadelphia had only just gotten Hukporti into its preseason rotation when the non-contact injury occurred, leaving the club to sort out its frontcourt depth after the surgery announcement.
