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Originally posted by Da Coach
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I don't know if it was intended, but you are only strengthening tornado's argument.
Most of the players you listed were never close to the same player after they returned from knee surgery.
Ron Harper was a star before his surgery, but became a good backup player who could no longer jump. From his bio on Wikipedia it says, "While with the Clippers Harper sustained a knee injury which robbed him of much of his speed and jumping ability....he reinvented himself as a defender and jump shooter"
Danny Manning was also a star, and would have been a HOF player in the NBA if not for his knee injuries. He recovered pretty well after his first surgery in 1989, but that was a much simpler arthroscopic surgery. He ended up with 2 more knee operations a few years later, and was never close to the same player. He bounced around with several teams as a backup before retiring early because of the knees.--
Bernard King- this is the easiest case to point to. King was the best player in the NBA, but lost much of his physical abilities after his knee surgery. Here is what his bio says--"
At the peak of his career, however, King suffered a devastating knee injury - a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, while planting his leg before jumping, against the then-Kansas City Kings in Kansas City, Missouri on March 23, 1985. It required major reconstruction, causing King to miss all of the 1985-86 season and denying him his once explosiveness to the basket....it was clear that King's explosiveness was diminished, and this prompted the New York Knicks to release him at the end of the 1987 season.... knee problems forced Bernard King into retirement.
Bob Lanier- Lanier initially injured his ACL in college. He recovered pretty well, but nonetheless was never able to jump after that, and always wore a brace. It lead to a lifetime of more knee trouble, and his career was cut short- he had 7 more knee operations, mostly because of cartilage damage.
Amare Stoudamire still has yet to prove he is the same player as he was before his knee surgery.
Most of the players you listed were never close to the same player after they returned from knee surgery.
Ron Harper was a star before his surgery, but became a good backup player who could no longer jump. From his bio on Wikipedia it says, "While with the Clippers Harper sustained a knee injury which robbed him of much of his speed and jumping ability....he reinvented himself as a defender and jump shooter"
Danny Manning was also a star, and would have been a HOF player in the NBA if not for his knee injuries. He recovered pretty well after his first surgery in 1989, but that was a much simpler arthroscopic surgery. He ended up with 2 more knee operations a few years later, and was never close to the same player. He bounced around with several teams as a backup before retiring early because of the knees.--
Bernard King- this is the easiest case to point to. King was the best player in the NBA, but lost much of his physical abilities after his knee surgery. Here is what his bio says--"
At the peak of his career, however, King suffered a devastating knee injury - a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, while planting his leg before jumping, against the then-Kansas City Kings in Kansas City, Missouri on March 23, 1985. It required major reconstruction, causing King to miss all of the 1985-86 season and denying him his once explosiveness to the basket....it was clear that King's explosiveness was diminished, and this prompted the New York Knicks to release him at the end of the 1987 season.... knee problems forced Bernard King into retirement.
Bob Lanier- Lanier initially injured his ACL in college. He recovered pretty well, but nonetheless was never able to jump after that, and always wore a brace. It lead to a lifetime of more knee trouble, and his career was cut short- he had 7 more knee operations, mostly because of cartilage damage.
Amare Stoudamire still has yet to prove he is the same player as he was before his knee surgery.
Bob Lanier - played for 14 years in the NBA, nearly 20,000 points, was at the top of his game for about the first 10 years even after the surgery, then the other operations and age started to affect him slowly. So he was better for many years after the surgery. He is also in the Hall of Fame, after having ACL surgery.
Bernard King - lost his explosiveness and was not as good after, although still averaged over 22 points a game the next 5 years.
Ron Harper - was not as good after.
Danny Manning - was better after his ACL injury rookie year. He came back and became an all-star and was one of the NBA's best for about 6 seasons. His career was shortened only because of multiple operations that finally took their toll. But the point was, he was the player he was in college even after his ACL surgery, and he improved for years.
Amare Stoudemire - the season after his surgery, played 82 games, but it took him awhile to get back where he was. He averaged 20 ppg Last season, averaged over 25 points and 9 rebounds a game and was again at the top of his game. This season, is leading his team in scoring and shows the same skill set he had before the surgery. It also seems like he hasn't really lost any explosiveness, which is surprising. He might not be "better", but he is exactly at the same level as before the surgery. But I agree that it is still early. But he is at two going on three all-star seasons after the surgery.
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