Golden State Warriors rookie James Wiseman will miss the remainder of the 2020-21 season after undergoing successful surgery on Thursday to repair a right meniscal tear, the team announced.
He is expected to make a full recovery and return to play next season.
Wiseman tore his right meniscus on Saturday after landing awkwardly on his knee versus the Houston Rockets. The team sought multiple medical opinions on the injury before determining surgery was the best method to address the tear.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said on Thursday that he spoke with Wiseman after the surgery and that he is doing well. During the entire process, Kerr said Wiseman, by all accounts, has handled the latest setback with professionalism.
The Warriors announced that rookie James Wiseman underwent successful surgery today to repair a right meniscal tear. He will begin rehab immediately and will miss the remainder of the 2020-21 season.
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) April 16, 2021
The surgery will conclude a rather strange rookie season for Wiseman.
He missed the start of training camp after reportedly testing positive for the coronavirus. He then sat for 11 games later in the season due to a wrist injury, and was in and out of the starting lineup as the team worked to find where he best fit into the rotation.
“He has really gutted through a lot of difficulty,” Kerr said on Monday. “This is yet another obstacle that has been put in front of him, so I just feel terrible for James. It seemed like he was just starting to get a little rhythm offensively and starting to feel good. It’s really tough to see him go down.”
Wiseman had plans to train with Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett over the offseason prior to the surgery. The two had been in contact to set something up, but it is unclear now if Wiseman will be able to participate following surgery.
When on the court, Wiseman proved worthy of being the second overall pick in the draft. Kerr previously said that Wiseman impacted games just with his presence alone and, once he can return fully healthy, the Warriors will only benefit by his skill set.
Wiseman appeared in 39 games for the Warriors this season, averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51.9% from the field. He ranks third among rookies in rebounding, fifth in scoring and fourth in field-goal percentage.
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