An injury usually associated with American football continues to play havoc with Hawks high-flyer Jahii Carson's preparation for next Friday's season-opening battle with Townsville.

Carson sat out training again yesterday and has been out of action since breaking down with a foot injury at the NBL Blitz almost two weeks ago.

The 22-year-old point guard has "turf toe" - layman's term for a metatarsophalangeal joint sprain of the connective tissue between the foot and the toes.

Medical experts say the injury is more likely to occur among athletes playing sports on rigid surfaces and that strapping or taping the affected area is virtually impossible. It is common among American footballers playing on artificial turf and takes a month or more to heal.

Carson narrowly missed selection in the 2014 NBA Draft and ranks as one of the brightest import prospects in the Hawks' 35-year existence.

Wollongong coach Gordie McLeod is crossing his fingers that his star recruit is back on the training court in the next day or two.

"When anyone can't train it's a concern, especially when it's your point guard and one of your new players," McLeod said.

"He has to get to know his teammates very quickly, he has to get to know our system very quickly and we have to find out how to best use him.

"There was a number of things to try such as a different treatment, rest, or he can try and practise to see how it is.

"We need to discuss that with Jahii to see which way he wants to go, because it just doesn't seem to be getting better.

"Turf toe is right in that pivotal point for a basketballer. Everything you do in our game is off that area, jumping and exploding off it, so it's in a real bad spot."

If Carson hasn't recovered in time for the first-round clash with the Crocodiles, more responsibility will fall on the shoulders of fellow import Gary Ervin.

"It's nothing I haven't done. It's just something I have to do until he gets back," Ervin said.

"He's so explosive, and when you use that explosiveness to dunk and push off, it's hard when you can't push off on that big toe."

The Hawks will play the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence team (formerly the AIS) in a full-scale scrimmage on Friday morning at the Snakepit.

The Centre of Excellence side is coached by former Wollongong and Perth guard Adam Caporn.