Posted by:
gwoelfel on
February 23, 2009 at
3:43PM CST
BY GERY WOELFEL
Not only does Michael Redd expect to be playing again next season, he fully expects to be playing at a high level.
Redd, the Milwaukee Bucks star shooting guard, tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee in a game against Sacramento on Jan. 24 and is out for the rest of the season.
Monday, Redd revealed he will have surgery on his left knee on March 3.
“I’m a little nervous; I’ve never had surgery before,’’ Redd said. “But my body is going to be even stronger next season.
“I’m going to come back better than ever.''
Redd said his surgery will be performed in Chicago by Dr. Brian J. Cole, an associate professor in the orthopedics department at Rush University Medical Center.
In 2004, Cole was chosen one of the "Best Doctors'' in America. He is also a team physician for the Chicago Bulls.
Redd said he consulted with some othr surgeons, including the renowned Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., before choosing Cole.
Redd said he envisions the recovery period to be “between five and six months’’ and that he has every reason to believe he’ll be ready for training camp in October.
Redd, who had been waiting for the swelling to subside in his knee before having surgery, also disclosed surgery will be done only on the ACL and that the MCL tear will “heal on its own.’’
The 29-year-old Redd said his confidence for having a complete recovery has been bolstered by the fact that several other NBA players have undergone similar surgeries and bounced back nicely.
"Dwyane Wade (of Miami) has had knee surgeries and look how great he's playing,'' said Redd, who was leading the Bucks in scoring at 21.2 points per game. "Andrew Bynum (of the Los Angeles Lakers), Jamal Crawford (of Golden State), Willie Green (of Philadelphia) ... they've all had the same kind of knee surgery and are doing well.''
“What they can do with modern technology today is amazing.’’
Since you seem hell bent on only reporting Redd/Buck's news (did they ever make a trade?) - here is some other area sports news that the JT has not reported (has J. Wilson announced where he is attending college?):
Bucks mascot banged up
The injury bug that has decimated the Milwaukee Bucks this season is not satisfied.
It now is going after mascots.
Bucks mascot Bango suffered a torn ACL in his right knee while entertaining fans during the all-star weekend in Phoenix and will undergo surgery in late March.
"While gazelle-like dunks and agile maneuvers around the court will be impossible for a time, the heart of Bucks game-night entertainment and the emotional leader of Bucks fans of all ages will continue to lead fan enthusiasm at home games," the Bucks said in a release on Wednesday.
This injury thing is taking on blight proportions. Michael Redd. Andrew Bogut. Luke Ridnour.
If you're a member of Hoop Troop, you should be afraid. Very afraid.
Tough end games Of the four top teams in the Big East men's basketball standings, Marquette is the only team that has to play all three of the teams the Golden Eagles are competing against for the conference title.
They face the toughest path to the championship.
The Pittsburgh Panthers, like MU, have not lost at home this season. They beat host Connecticut Monday night. Louisville has only one game on its remaining schedule against one of the top three.
The top teams and their remaining conference games:
Connecticut (12-2): South Florida, at Marquette, Notre Dame, at Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh (11-2): DePaul, at Providence, at Seton Hall, Marquette, Connecticut
Marquette (11-2): at Georgetown, Connecticut, at Louisville, at Pittsburgh, Syracuse.
Louisville (11-2): at Cincinnati, at Georgetown, Marquette, Seton Hall, at West Virginia.
Ranking UW prospects Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. ranked National Football League prospects by position going into the scouting combine.
Among the Wisconsin players on his lists: Travis Beckum, No. 7 among tight ends; Kraig Urbik, No. 16 among offensive linemen; DeAndre Levy, No. 21 among linebackers; P.J. Hill, No. 22 among running backs; and Matt Shaughnessy, No. 24 among defensive linemen.
Jumping through hoops The Milwaukee market television rating for the NBA All-Star Game Sunday on TNT was a 3.8 or 34,403 households.
A total of 6% of the sets on at the time were tuned to that game.
Final cable ratings for the events last weekend were delayed because of the holiday on Monday.
Chucky finds a role Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden has found gainful employment, at least for a few days.
Gruden joined the NFL Network as an analyst for the network's coverage of the scouting combine in Indianapolis.
Gruden will provide commentary starting today and continuing through Monday.
Call SportsDay at (414) 223-5531 or send e-mail to bwolfley@journalsentinel.com