Hassan Whiteside not traveling with Heat after spraining ankle Tuesday

The universe is rarely just.

Things were going so well for Hassan Whiteside. More than two seasons removed from flaming out as a sparsely-used second round pick, the 7-footer had leveraged strong performances in Lebanon, China and the D-League to secure a spot with the Miami Heat.

From there, he went on the Hassan Whiteside Revenge Tour, speaking of a chip on his shoulder that exists from having been overlooked by so many. He was averaging 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 15.8 minutes through 16 games as a member of the Heat, had earned the starting center job and had averaged 12.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks with 69.6 percent shooting over his last seven games.

The first 11 minutes of Tuesday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder went much the same, with Whiteside shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor for 10 points with two rebounds and a block. And then he got tangled in the air with Kendrick Perkins and landed awkwardly, rolling his right ankle.

Whiteside left the game and never returned, and he won't be traveling with the team when they take on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Head coach Erik Spoelstra said that the sprain is not a third-degree one, the most severe grade of sprain, but the team did not provide a timeline for his return.

And so, at least temporarily, Whiteside's incredible story is on pause. Here's hoping he can get back on the floor and continue this fun journey in short order.