The Impact Of A Torn ACL On An NBA Player
The pain was bearable, but Al Jefferson still had tears in his eyes. One night after he injured his knee after a routine block, Jefferson sat inside a doctor’s office; his season was over and he wondered if his career was too.
It was February 8, 2009, when Jefferson, then a member of the Timberwolves, swatted a dunk attempt by Sean Marks, the current general manager of the Nets. Jefferson landed awkwardly on his right knee, hopped nine times on his left foot, and collapsed to the hardwood.
“What happened was, I went up and blocked a shot, I blocked it on the backboard and threw my body off so I came down wrong,” Jefferson told Hoops Rumors in February during a Pacers shootaround in Brooklyn. “I heard [my ACL] pop, as soon as I hit the ground. I was like ‘Oh, s**t!’”
Jefferson said he wanted to return to the game, but with 27 seconds left, it wasn’t worth risking further injury. In reality, Jefferson’s injury was as serious as it gets.
“I actually injured my MCL earlier that year and that was more pain,” Jefferson said. “I’m thinking like, ‘Oh, it’s not as bad, the pain is going away.’ So, when I went and got the MRI and [the doctor] told me it was an ACL tear, I just remember tears in my eyes thinking ‘ugh!’”
Jefferson, 24 at the time, was in the midst of his best season, averaging 23.1 PPG and 11.0 RPG. He was viewed as a potential cornerstone for a rebuilding Minnesota team that featured talented rookie and future All-Star Kevin Love.
Two years removed from the departure of Kevin Garnett, Jefferson’s development was vital to the Timberwolves’ future. That future hinged on the ligaments inside the 6’10” center’s right knee.
The ACL is a thick, index finger-sized cord that stabilizes the knee and is one of four main ligaments that connects the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shinbone). A tear of the ACL is usually caused by a swift change in direction, which is common among basketball players. The injury is often times a freak accident on a routine play and not the result of years of wear and tear.
Statistics compiled by the ACL Recovery Club and Hoops Rumors show that since 1970, 97 NBA players suffered a torn ACL either before or after their debut. Of those 97 players, nine of them suffered the injury twice.
“I had my injury in 2009. You look back to the 1980s, [a torn ACL] was pretty much a career-ending injury,” Jefferson said.
Jefferson is right. From 1970 through 1990, 18 players tore their ACL and eight of them played three or fewer seasons after their return. The list of players who never played again after a torn ACL include Hall-of-Famer Billy Cunningham, 1973 first overall pick Doug Collins, and NBA champion Chris Andersen.
Pacific Notes: Suns’ HC Search, Lakers, Kings
Earlier tonight, it was reported that Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer withdrew from consideration for the Suns‘ head coach position. It’s unclear why Budenholzer made the decision, but it shrinks the Suns’ pool of candidates. Per tonight’s report, the Suns continue to consider interim coach Jay Triano, David Fizdale, Steve Clifford, Kevin McHale and Frank Vogel.
Before tonight’s news, Scott Bordow of Arizona Central Sports examined all of the potential candidates and their strengths related to the Phoenix organization. One scout told Bordow that the Suns need a “true teacher” to fill the role.
“The Suns need a true teacher,” the scout said. “A patient coach who understands the environment and history, willing to take lumps and teach the game (through) losses … similar to what occurred recently in Philly. Things will not change overnight but through resolve and commitment, it can happen within a reasonable timeframe.”
There is still the rest of the postseason and the offseason for the Suns to decide on their next coach. After tonight, however, their list of candidates is one name shorter.
Check out more Pacific Division notes:
- The Lakers enter this offseason with cap space, young assets, and the attention of the entire basketball world. The team is expected to compete for the services of soon-to-be free agents such as LeBron James and Paul George. Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated dives into the team’s front office and why the team will be heavily watched this summer.
- Bill Oram of the Orange County Register released his report card for the 2017/18 Lakers squad. Oram grades the team’s rookies and veterans on their performance, contribution to the team’s success, and future with the organization.
- There is an unusual sense of stability for the Kings as they enter the offseason, which has not been the case in a long time, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes. It does not appear that the team will look for a new head coach or endure another front office overhaul. Therefore, building the roster and continuing development will be the primary goal.
Budenholzer Withdraws From Consideration For Suns Coach Job
Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer has withdrawn from consideration for the Suns‘ head coach vacancy, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Budenholzer met with the Suns on Monday and Tuesday and was expected to reach a decision this week.
A native of Holbrook, Arizona, Budenholzer still has two years and $13MM+ left on his deal with the Hawks.
With Budenholzer off the board, the Suns are considering interim coach Jay Triano, David Fizdale, Steve Clifford, Kevin McHale and Frank Vogel to fill the position, Wojnarowski adds.
Budenholzer, 48, has been the Hawks’ head coach since 2013, leading the team to a 213-197 record. He won Coach of the Year for the 2014/15 season, a year in which the Hawks went 60-22 and went to the Eastern Conference finals.
The Hawks played to an Eastern Conference-worst 24-58 this season as the organization cut payroll and gathered young assets under general manager Travis Schlenk‘s vision.
Stan Van Gundy To Meet With Pistons Ownership To Discuss Future
Pistons head coach/president Stan Van Gundy and owner Tom Gores will meet next week to discuss Van Gundy’s future with the organization, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Van Gundy has one year left on his contract.
Van Gundy, 58, has been at the helm as head coach and president since 2014 when he replaced interim coach John Loyer. As the head coach, Van Gundy has led Detroit to a 152-176 record in four seasons. The Pistons have made the postseason just once in four years under Van Gundy, losing in the first round in 2016 after a 44-38 regular season.
Gores spoke to reporters earlier this month and said he would meet with Van Gundy before making a concrete decision on his future.
“We’re not winning. It’s just that simple,” Gores said. “Whatever mistakes we’ve made or why we haven’t won, we have to evaluate that. I see value in the front office and the coach being connected.”
Southeast Notes: Wade, Ellington, Stackhouse, Hawks
Dwyane Wade provided the basketball world with a flashback performance as he dropped 28 points for the Heat in a Game 2 victory over the Sixers. The 36-year-old’s career is winding down and there is no clear sense whether this season is his last. But if he decides to return next season, it will only be for the Heat, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne writes.
“Someone like Vince [Carter] can go anywhere and play. Every year, he can go to do a different location,” Wade said. “I can’t hop to here and there. So it makes it a little tougher.”
Wade has spent nearly his entire career in Miami, save for one year with the Bulls in 2016/17 and the first half of this season with the Cavaliers. Wade said he felt like he needed his experiences with those organizations to greater appreciate Miami and the Heat organization. The three-time NBA champion said he will decide this offseason whether he will retire or return to the Heat.
Check out more Southeast Division notes below:
- Heat guard Wayne Ellington has been a solid contributor off the bench this season, averaging 11.2 PPG. A veteran NBA scout tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that the 30-year-old is a good candidate for a mid-level exception this offseason. “I could see him getting the mid-level. Can shoot, quality guy, has gotten better,” the scout said.
- Jerry Stackhouse, who is an alum of North Carolina, is reportedly in consideration for the Hornets‘ head coach vacancy. If he is hired, that means the owner (Michael Jordan), general manager (Mitch Kupchak), assistant general manager (Buzz Peterson) and head coach (Stackhouse) would be former Tar Heels. Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer writes that Charlotte should look beyond Stackhouse’s collegiate ties in selecting a head coach.
- With Kawhi Leonard‘s future with the Spurs seemingly unstable, several reports have suggested he will be an offseason trade target for various teams around the league. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer outlines how and why the Hornets should pursue the two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
- Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looks at how the Timberwolves’ poor play down the stretch actually helped the Hawks‘ positioning in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Central Notes: Parker, Love, Jennings, LaVine, Leonard
Jabari Parker has played a total of 24 minutes in two postseason games as the Bucks return to Milwaukee trailing the Celtics 2-0 in their first-round series. Parker has struggled to produce, and attributed his lack of playing time to not being on Bucks interim head coach Joe Prunty’s good side, tweets Stephen Watson of WISN 12 News.
Parker, who has torn the ACL in his left knee twice, has missed significant time over the last several seasons. He noted that not playing much after missing a lot of time to injury has compounded his frustration, tweets Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“I am human. I have a right to be frustrated. I’ve waited two years for this,” Parker, 23, said.
For his part, Prunty denied that Parker is on his bad side and said that he is unsure why the forward feels that way. Prunty added that Parker — and the rest of bench — can help the team and find playing time by rebounding and playing defense. With free agency looming, after two major knee surgeries, a lack of playing time in the postseason will not help Parker’s case for a lucrative deal.
Check out more Central Division notes:
- Cavaliers forward Kevin Love suffered a partial tear of a ligament in his left thumb during the team’s Game 2 win over the Pacers, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. While head coach Tyronn Lue elected to rest Love after the injury, Love said that he will play through it going forward. “It’s not going to feel great tomorrow, but throw some ice on it, tape it up and be ready to go,” Love said.
- Brandon Jennings did not play in the NBA for most of last season before he joined the Bucks‘ G League affiliate and eventually returned to Milwaukee last season. As Jennings tells David Yapkowitz of Basketball Insiders, he’s glad to be back. “It’s good, it feels good just being back in the NBA in general,” Jennings said. “A lot has changed since I left, but for the good. I’m just excited.”
- In his latest mailbag, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune answered several questioning pertaining to Zach LaVine‘s impending contract talks, Kris Dunn, and the Bulls‘ plans entering the draft.
- Mark Schanowski of NBC Sports Chicago writes that overpaying to acquire Kawhi Leonard, whose injury status and relationship with the Spurs make him a possible trade candidate, is not the way to rebuild the Bulls.
Joel Embiid Will Play For Sixers In Game 3
Joel Embiid will play and start in Game 3 of the Sixers‘ first-round Eastern Conference matchup against the Heat, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Earlier today, Embiid had been listed as doubtful for tonight’s game before shootaround.
The Sixers had reportedly been working on a new protective mask for Embiid, as the black mask he has been wearing was not cleared by the league. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne tweets that Embiid’s new and approved mask has built-in protective eyewear mask and is made of carbon and polycarbonate.
Embiid has not played since March 28 when he collided with teammate Markelle Fultz during a home game against the Knicks. The 24-year-old suffered a concussion and underwent surgery three days later for an orbital fracture in his left eye. As Embiid’s recovery progressed — and he cleared the NBA’s concussion protocol before Game 2 — he was still yet to test himself beyond light contact in practice.
Before the injury ended his regular season, the 2017/18 All-Star averaged 22.9 PPG and 11.0 RPG in 63 games for the Sixers. With the series even at 1-1 entering Thursday’s Game 3 in Miami, a healthy Embiid could change the dynamic of the series for Philadelphia.
David Fizdale Plans To Interview With Knicks, Suns
APRIL 17, 10:52pm: Marc Stein of The New York Times tweets that Fizdale will interview with the Suns tomorrow.
APRIL 14th, 1:00pm: Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic has confirmed that Phoenix plans to interview Fizdale sometime this week.
APRIL 14th, 10:14am: Former Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale plans to interview with the Knicks and Suns next week, tweets Mark Medina of the Mercury News.
Fizdale coached the Grizzlies to a 43-39 record during the 2016/17 season but the team was eliminated in the first round of the postseason. He was relieved of his duties after just 19 games this season as Memphis struggled to win and Fizdale’s relationship with Marc Gasol reportedly deteriorated.
However, Fizdale has been a popular name for many teams with head coaching vacancies. As we relayed this week, Heat guard Dwyane Wade — who played in Miami when Fizdale was an assistant coach — advocated for him as a potential target for the Knicks.
The Suns were granted permission to interview Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, and are also set to meet with interim head coach Jay Triano and Fizdale.
Before his tenure with the Grizzlies, Fizdale served as an assistant coach with the Heat, winning two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013.
Mike Budenholzer Interviews With Suns
APRIL 17th, 7:45pm: Wojnarowski is now reporting that Budenholzer met with Suns management and ownership today and yesterday, and a sense is expected to emerge soon whether there is a pathway to Budenholzer becoming the Suns’ next head coach.
APRIL 14th, 9:06am: The Hawks granted Mike Budenholzer permission to interview with the Suns for their head coaching vacancy, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Budenholzer, the Hawks’ current head coach, still has two years and $13MM+ left on his contract.
A native of Holbrook, Arizona, Budenholzer plans to meet with Suns officials early next week.
Budenholzer, 48, has been Atlanta’s head coach since 2013, leading the team to a 213-197 record in that span. He won Coach of the Year for the 2014/15 season, a year in which the Hawks went 60-22 and went to the Eastern Conference finals.
This season, the Hawks entered a rebuilding stage by cutting payroll and gathering young assets under general manager Travis Schlenk. The team went just 24-58, coming in last place in the Eastern Conference.
Budenholzer is among several candidates the Suns plan to interview, Wojnarowski notes. Interim head coach Jay Triano, who took over after the dismissal of Earl Watson, will also be considered. The Suns finished in last place in the Western Conference, going 21-61, the worst record in the league.
Mavs Notes: Nowitzki, Smith, McDermott, Rebuilding
Dirk Nowitzki confirmed he will return to the Mavericks for his 21st season in 2018/19, while Dennis Smith Jr. will enter next season as an NBA sophomore. Despite being in different stages of their careers, Nowitzki and Smith both want to see the Mavericks return to relevance, per the Associated Press.
“I’ve been in a couple of arenas that are playoff teams, and I just witnessed the atmosphere,” Smith said. “I can only imagine how it is playoff time.”
Nowitzki has been part of numerous playoff teams in Dallas and helped lead the franchise to an NBA championship in 2011. In recent seasons, he has accepted that the Mavericks are in a rebuilding stage and contributed in any way possible. Still, he – along with the front office – wants to compete as soon as possible.
“We’re certainly hoping that we’re not in the early stages of a rebuild,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “We want to get through this as expeditiously as possible. But there’s no way you can skip steps.”
- Doug McDermott joined the Mavericks in early February and played well, fulfilling the role of effective three-point shooter, as he has throughout his career. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes that McDermott, who could hit restricted free agency, would like to return and the feeling is mutual. “I hope so,” McDermott said of returning. “I loved my time here. I feel like I fit in right from the first game, and it just allowed me to be myself out there.
- The Dallas Morning News looks at all of the Mavericks’ decisions heading into both restricted and unrestricted free agency, including what the future may hold for McDermott, Seth Curry, and Nerlens Noel.
- The Mavericks are clearly still in the rebuilding phase and the fan base should get used to the team not being competitive, Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News writes. Dallas will need a lot of work just get to the level of some of the Western Conference’s lower-seeded playoff teams, making a postseason run unlikely to happen anytime soon.