Since signing with the Milwaukee Bucks during the offseason, Semi Ojeleye has had a tough time finding his footing with the franchise. It will not get any easier following news that Ojeleye is now slated to miss time after entering the league’s health and safety protocols, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
This is just the latest inconvenience for Ojeleye to experience for the Bucks in a season that has been full of them to this point. A calf injury bothered the forward early on and forced him to miss time to begin this season, pushing his debut back until October 27. Upon his return to the lineup, Ojeleye struggled to find a groove as he failed to contribute most nights. His calf injury once again surfaced in late November, which forced him to miss nearly another month of action as he tried to recover. He has since returned, but after logging DNPs in two consecutive games, it looks like Ojeleye has lost his spot in Milwaukee’s loaded rotation. Talk about some tough breaks for the veteran.
Semi Ojeleye is the latest member of the Milwaukee Bucks to enter the NBA’s health and safety protocols
The Bucks have had several run-ins with the health and safety protocols this season. Players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Donte DiVincenzo, Wesley Matthews, and now Ojeleye all have entered at some point and missed time. Prior to Ojeleye’s news, the Bucks had just started to get everyone back as the only name listed on the injury report was Brook Lopez, who is dealing with recovery from a back procedure performed earlier this season. Ojeleye now joins him on the report for the foreseeable future as he is the latest Buck to endure a bout with the protocols.
As for Ojeleye’s potential return to the lineup, the NBA recently shifted around their rules for when players can return from the protocols. Rather than the initial 10-day isolation period, players who are asymptomatic and meet the proper testing guidelines can get out after six days. Depending on where Ojeleye fits on that scale, that recent rule change applies to him and when we could see him return to the Bucks this season. More news will follow on that front as the days go on, so be sure to stay tuned for updates on his status.
A difficult start to the season will now only get more challenging for Ojeleye as he will miss more time in the protocols. It is incredibly unfortunate that the forward has had to battle through this much adversity early on, and hopefully he can find a way to persevere through these trying times. For now, we all wish Ojeleye the best and hope that he is doing well amidst the news. Like the others that have gone through this, hopefully this is a speedy process for the 27-year-old.
The Ojeleye-less Bucks will take the court against the Orlando Magic tonight at 6:00 p.m. CST, and be sure to catch the action on Bally Sports Wisconsin.