A huge sigh of relief had to wash over the Air Canada Centre late Wednesday morning.

Jonas Valanciunas, the Raptors prized rookie centre, doesn’t appear to have suffered significant damage after wrenching his neck in an inadvertent collision with teammate Rudy Gay late in Tuesday’s win over the Chicago Bulls.

Team officials said Valanciunas suffered a “flexion extension” injury — something akin to whiplash — and test results were negative after he was treated and released overnight from Bush Presbyterian hospital in Chicago.

Valanciunas will be re-evaluated in Toronto on Thursday; the Raptors host the Bulls on Friday night.

The 20-year-old Valanciunas has been one of the bright spots for the Raptors late in the season. Named the NBA’s Eastern Conference rookie of the month for March, the 7-footer averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and shot 62 per cent from the field in 15 March games.

Valanciunas was injured with less than 10 seconds left in Tuesday’s game when he lost his balance trying to grab a loose ball on the floor and banged his neck and head into Gay’s shoulder.

SMITH: Small but hard hits are part of the NBA

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