Jahlil Okafor Will Have Season-Ending Knee Surgery
Sixers’ center Jahlil Okafor will have surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, which will likely end his rookie season | Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Sixers announced today that rookie center Jahlil Okafor will have surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Okafor should resume full basketball activities in approximately six weeks, according to a press release sent out by the team.
“Jahlil recently started to experience discomfort in his right knee, which we immediately investigated. After a comprehensive series of tests and additional evaluation by our medical team, it was revealed that he has a small tear of the meniscus. Jahlil will undergo a minor arthroscopic procedure to address the injury. Timing and details of the procedure will be finalized in the coming days.
“Our medical team will continually monitor and evaluate Jahlil’s progress, and we anticipate he will resume full basketball activities in
approximately six weeks.”— Sam Hinkie, Sixers’ president and general manager.
Okafor has missed the last five games for the Sixers, initially because of a bruised right shin. Sixers head coach Brett Brown announced on Wednesday that he would have a CT scan on his sore right knee, which Brown said was likely unrelated to the original shin injury.
Okafor missed two games in December with soreness in the same knee.
If Okafor is to miss six weeks, it would effectively end his rookie season, as the Sixers’ last game is on April 13th. Okafor has averaged 17.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game so far during his rookie season while shooting 50.8 percent from the field. If his season is over, Okafor would become the first 76ers rookie to average at least 17 points and 7 rebounds per game, and just the third Sixers’ rookie to reach the 17 points-per-game mark, following Jerry Stackhouse (19.2 points per game in 1995-96) and Allen Iverson (23.5 in 1996-97).
Derek Bodner covers the 76ers for Philadelphia magazine. Follow @DerekBodnerNBA on Twitter.
