Hawks' Chandler Parsons Has Brain Injury and May Not Play Again After Crash with Alleged Drunk Driver
Chandler Parsons‘ attorneys say his NBA career could be in jeopardy after he was involved in a car accident with an alleged drunk driver last week.
The Atlanta Hawks forward’s lawyers, John Morgan and Nick Panagakis, said in a statement to PEOPLE the alleged drunk driver caused a crash involving three cars including the player’s Rolls-Royce around 2 p.m. Wednesday, which left the player “seriously [injured] and potentially ending Mr. Parsons’ career as a professional athlete.”
While initially his injuries were not believed to be that serious, the player’s lawyers say that he in fact “suffered multiple severe and permanent injuries including a traumatic brain injury, disc herniation and a torn labrum.”
“Chandler was in peak physical condition at the time of the wreck,” the statement said. “He is now working with a team of doctors to regain his health, and at this time, his ability to return to play is unclear.”
Last week, the Hawks said in a statement that Parsons, 31, “was involved in an automobile accident this afternoon following practice. After a medical evaluation at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, Parsons has been diagnosed with a concussion and whiplash,” PEOPLE previously reported.
As a result of his injuries, Parsons did not travel with the team to San Antonio, Texas, on Friday for their game against the Spurs. The Hawks ended up beating the Texas team by one point, 121-120.
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“Chandler is having a difficult time accepting the consequences of the defendant’s reckless conduct on the roadway,” his attorneys’ statement continued. “Our focus right now is on helping him make a full recovery, while we also work to hold any and all responsible parties fully accountable.”
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Atlanta police were not available to respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on the accident.
A photo of Parsons’ Rolls-Royce from the accident obtained by PEOPLE shows the driver’s side of the car completely smashed.
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Parsons, who was selected in the 2011 NBA Draft after playing at the University of Florida, has already experienced problems with his wrist this season, averaging 2.8 points per game.
He is currently in the last year of a four-year $94 million contract, the New York Post reported.
In his eight years in the league, Parsons has played for the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and Memphis Grizzlies in addition to the Hawks.
