The Sacramento Kings suffered another setback late in the 2025-26 NBA season after center Drew Eubanks was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left thumb. The team confirmed Sunday that the veteran big man will undergo surgery to repair the injury on Wednesday, March 18.
The injury occurred during Sacramento's 117-109 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on March 11. Eubanks played just under 15 minutes in that game, recording four points, six rebounds, and two assists before the issue was identified. The Kings confirmed the diagnosis soon after and said additional updates on his recovery will come following surgery.
Eubanks has appeared in 42 games for Sacramento this season, including 11 starts, during his first year with the franchise. Over 13.1 minutes per contest, the eighth-year center has averaged 5.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting an efficient 59.6 percent from the field.
This will be the second left-thumb injury Eubanks has dealt with during the current campaign. Earlier in the season, he missed approximately three weeks in December after suffering an avulsion fracture in the same thumb.
With only about four weeks remaining in the regular season, no official timeline has been given for his return. However, the timing of the surgery makes it unlikely he will play again this season.
Eubanks' absence further thins the Kings' frontcourt. Star center Domantas Sabonis is also on the mend, leaving Sacramento to rely heavily on rookies Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud at the center position for the remainder of the schedule.
The injury adds to a difficult stretch for the Kings, who enter the final portion of the season with the league's third-worst record and are attempting to finish the year amid multiple roster setbacks.
