Sterling Brown could've DIED if not for Rockets mate Kevin Porter Jr during club fight

The Sterling Brown Miami altercation was much worse than the Houston Rockets indicated, as per the latest reports. Brown was reportedly assaulted by three or more men during an altercation outside of a Miami strip club on Monday. The Rockets suggested that the 26-year-old "suffered facial lacerations", but reports suggest that the Sterling Brown fight was far more serious and he nearly cheated death. 

Sterling Brown injury update: Rockets star might not have made it if not for Kevin Porter Jr

According to a report for The Athletic by Shams Charania and Kelly Iko, sources close to Sterling Brown were worried that he would not make it out of the fight after his altercation outside a Miami strip club on Monday. Reports suggest that Brown attempted to enter the wrong van and exchanged words with at least three people who were responsible for the van. The situation then "escalated into all of those individuals jumping Brown, physically beating him up, hitting him in the head with a bottle and leaving blood everywhere" before he was rushed to a hospital.

Players and coaches reportedly feared he was in critical condition while doctors were concerned about potential blood clotting overnight because of his head injuries. Brown received stitches and underwent tests before eventually being cleared to leave the hospital and return to Houston. The report stated that Rockets teammate Kevin Porter Jr. stepped in to help Brown, and also was "roughed up a bit by the individuals" and helped remove him from the situation. Porter Jr was fit enough to play against Miami Heat on Monday but missed the clash against Utah Jazz on Wednesday. 

A spokesperson told Iko and Charania that the NBA is investigating the situation; in addition to looking into the altercation, the players' trip to the strip club likely violated the league's health and safety protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A police report stated officers spoke to two men, one of them was Brown and the other was unidentified, but they "refused to cooperate," and the Rockets star only said he wanted to be taken to the hospital. His management at Priority Sports also provided a statement: "Our number one concern is Sterling's health. We will rely on law enforcement to help get to the bottom of this and the facts about what went down". A source told The Athletic, “If he hadn’t been as physically strong and tough, he might not have made it out of the situation and he could have died".

(Image Courtesy: Sterling Brown, Kevin Porter Jr Instagram)