Chris Wilcox to undergo aortic surgery, out for season

bongo33 · Mar 14, 2012

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4690840/wilcox-to-undergo-aortic-surgery

SAN FRANCISCO -- For the second time in this abbreviated NBA season, the Boston Celtics have lost a player to a heart ailment after the team announced Wednesday that forward/center Chris Wilcox will undergo aortic surgery on March 29 and miss the remainder of the season.

An irregularity was first detected last week during a routine screening and follow-up tests confirmed that Wilcox will have to suspend his basketball career. Boston already endured the loss of Jeff Green, who had his contract voided before the season after a routine physical detected an aortic aneurysm.

Wilcox has long had an aortic abnormality that remained stable throughout his 10-year NBA career, the team noted in a release. As a precautionary measure, the Celtics medical staff scheduled frequent aortic scans for Wilcox, and a recent scan showed a significant enlargement of his aorta.

After several follow-up tests, doctors recommended surgery with hopes that he can resume his NBA career next season.

“While we are saddened that Chris will not be able to play again this season, the most important thing is his health, and we were fortunate to have access to an amazing team of specialists to evaluate Chris’s case,” said Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “The entire Celtics family supports Chris during this difficult time in his career.”

The Celtics were initially hopeful that follow-up testing might offer Wilcox a chance to finish out the season, but Celtics coach Doc Rivers stressed this past weekend that he was more concerned with the player's health. Even still, Rivers remarked how impossible it was for the Celtics to have endured a heart scare twice in the span of four months.

"It’s scary, it really is," said Rivers. "You think about it, the chances of having one of these in a year, it’s pretty minute. The chance of having two is like impossible... But I always try to look at the human part of it. The fact that, if something is wrong and we found it, I’d rather find it than not. At the end of the day, we’re lucky, and that’s what I told our team, that we’re very lucky that this happened -- not unlucky. I think that’s the way you have to look at it, and that’s the way we’re looking at it."

Wilcox averaged 5.4 points and 4.4 rebounds over 17.2 minutes per game in 28 appearances. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said earlier this week the Celtics were looking to add a big man and the loss of Wilcox almost ensures they will have to do such (though it might not necessarily come via trade, especially with Thursday's deadline rapidly approaching).

Green underwent surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in January to repair an aortic aneurysm. Recently, he returned to the area to continue his rehab under the guidance of Celtics team doctors and is likewise hopeful to return to the court next season.
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The Celtics front line continues to get thinner and thinner. Here's there only bigs left: KG, Brandon Bass, Jermaine Oneal (injured) and Greg Stiemsma.

Looks like they're are in desperate need of a center despite KG's success at the 5 recently. Any trade opportunities?

atomicanderz · Mar 14, 2012

DO IT!

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=83bllzw

dharocks · Mar 14, 2012

They can have Jordan Hill.

Seriously, they can just have him.

HombreDeHierro · Mar 14, 2012

they can have jordan hill for... dunno lol

A_3PO · Mar 14, 2012

KG can't play C full-time the rest of the season. They have to sign somebody or make a trade.

deekay209 · Mar 14, 2012

Good luck to Chris Wilcox. Heart surgery is no joke. I hope all goes well.

TriCkz · Mar 14, 2012

Thatbeet for Boston 2nd rounder

Shaud · Mar 14, 2012

Damn this would have been the first year he was able to play in the playoffs. Unfortunate for him but at least they discovered he had a problem.

kevC · Mar 15, 2012

A man's career's on the line with a serious heart disease, and y'all just think of ways of how we can poach his team?

I blame MURRAY for our team's callousness.

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