Collison's season over already?

[The_herd]

Since the link is in yahoo sports and you might need a yahoo account, I just posted it here.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...ight&type=lgns

Sonics rookie Collison needs surgery, could miss entire season

Percy Allen Seattle Times staff reporter

As the Sonics' Nick Collison seeks a second opinion on a partially dislocated left shoulder that could ruin his rookie NBA season, Rashard Lewis offered this piece of sobering advice: "I would recommend him to have surgery."


Knowing that surgery would likely end Collison's season before it started, Lewis, who suffered a similar injury two seasons ago and reaggravated it last season, still suggested his teammate opt for the medical procedure.


"I would still recommend for him to have surgery, because my shoulder still bothers me if I get hit hard enough," the small forward said. "If he goes through the season not having surgery and it keeps slipping on him — in and out — then he's going to miss games regardless.


"It's best to go and get it out of the way now and prepare himself for next season."


Collison, the Sonics' 12th overall draft pick from Kansas, left the Furtado Center yesterday about an hour before practice concluded and flew to New York, where he will meet with a shoulder specialist today for a second opinion.


Results of the first examination on Tuesday evening revealed Collison suffered a subluxation, which means his shoulder slipped out of its socket and slipped in without assistance.


The Sonics declined to reveal the recommendation of team orthopedist Richard Zorn and will review the findings of today's examination before deciding how to treat the injury.


Collison has yet to speak with the media, but he has confided in his family and told his father that he is strongly considering surgery.


"Looking at it and trying to do the best thing and smartest thing, it sounds like from what Nick has told me that at some point it's going to have to be repaired," Dave Collison said. "Whether they nurse him throughout this year, whether he does it now or during the summer, surgery is probably something that needs to be addressed."


If surgery were chosen, the most optimistic projection would have Collison returning to the court in six months. A more realistic timetable, however, suggests an eight-month recovery, which coincides with the end of the regular season.


Lewis suffered a similar injury to his left shoulder in April 2002 in the first round of the playoffs against San Antonio. He was unable to continue in the postseason and considered surgery, but opted to strengthen the joint over the summer.


In last season's first exhibition, Lewis reinjured the shoulder. Once again he missed games and considered surgery, but he decided to rehab the shoulder with exercise.


Last season, he started 77 games and averaged 18.1 points and 6.5 rebounds, but estimated that his shoulder "popped out" three times.


According to Lewis, there's a significant difference between his injury and Collison's.


"His is on both sides," Lewis said, referring to the stretch marks on the front and back of Collison's shoulder. "I think it's easier for his to pop out."


The stretch marks indicate that the ligaments holding the shoulder in place have weakened and each time a subluxation occurs, the injury is more likely to happen again.


The Sonics were under the assumption that Collison initially injured himself Tuesday morning while attempting to retrieve a loose ball in the first full-squad practice.


Collison, however, confided in Lewis that he suffered a subluxation as many as four times in the five minicamp workouts for rookies, free agents and veterans with fewer than four years of experience.


"By him telling me it's happened three or four times in the past couple of days," Lewis said, "there's something wrong with that."


Lewis also revealed that Collison initially injured his shoulder during the summer while playing with the USA Basketball team that won the gold medal in the FIBA Americas Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.


Sonics general manager Rick Sund was unaware of Collison's previous injuries, citing that the 6-foot-9 power forward never missed a game during his four-year career at Kansas.


Collison's father, who coached his son at Iowa Falls High, didn't recall him ever being seriously injured in high school. But he did remember a phone call this summer when Nick complained of shoulder pain.


"He did tell us one day at practice he twinged it, but it wasn't something that kept him out of practice," Dave Collison said. "He said he went back in and played. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but maybe it was a precursor of things to come."


The Sonics expected Collison to contend with Vladimir Radmanovic and Reggie Evans for a starting spot and vie for rookie-of-the-year honors.


Now they wonder if he'll even play this season.


"It most definitely would impress me if he played this season because (his shoulder has) already popped out on him three times in the first week of practice and we haven't even had a preseason game yet," Lewis said. "I think that would most definitely say he's a tough player. But I think it would also be risking a lot for him in the future."

[tucker342]

Even though I can't stand him(he should have gone to Iowa), that's sad to hear

[JeeberD]

He's overrated.

Still sucks for the guys, though...

[henry296]

Not good for my fantasy team.

Todd

[dawgfan]

Originally posted by JeeberD
He's overrated.

Still sucks for the guys, though...

He hasn't played an NBA game yet and he's already overrated? Tough crowd...

FWIW, Allen Iverson had him pegged as the Rookie of the Year after they played together on Team USA.

[Kam]

Who is going to write the "Nick Collison is overrated, the media just wants a white guy to do well in NBA..." post?

[ice4277]

Nick Collison is overrated, the media just wants a white guy to do well in the NBA...

[daedalus]

That sucks.

While I agree that he's somewhat overrated, I like him anyway. I'm a big fan of hard working players, even when they're of limited talent.

[The_herd]

Originally posted by ice4277
Nick Collison is overrated, the media just wants a white guy to do well in the NBA...

I thought it was supposed to be Keith Van Horn, or at least that's what Barkley said.

[bamcgee]

How could he be considered overrated? Everyone seems to think he has limited talent or something.

However, I bet he has a nice long career averaging 10 and 10. Mobile, nice shot, plays hard, gifted around the bucket. Who wouldn't be happy with that?

[ice4277]

Originally posted by bamcgee
How could he be considered overrated? Everyone seems to think he has limited talent or something.

However, I bet he has a nice long career averaging 10 and 10. Mobile, nice shot, plays hard, gifted around the bucket. Who wouldn't be happy with that?

Eh, I don't really have an opinion on him one way or another. I was just giving the people what they wanted.