The Phoenix Suns drafted Alex Len despite a lingering stress injury, but that doesn't mean the team was completely satisfied with his health entering next season. The No. 5 overall pick underwent a second ankle surgery Saturday, less than three months after his first offseason procedure, the team announced.
Alex Len undergoes second ankle surgery
Suns rookie Alex Len needed more surgery done prior to next season, this time on his right ankle.
USA TODAY Sports
A star at Maryland, Len could not work out for teams prior to this year’s draft after surgery to repair a partial stress fracture in his left ankle. This second procedure was on his right ankle, as Suns president Lon Babby said in a released statement:
"As a precautionary measure, our medical staff determined that it would be prudent to perform surgery on Alex Len's right ankle at this time. That surgery was successfully completed this morning. As part of a routine evaluation, our medical team identified the very beginnings of a stress fracture in Alex's right ankle even though Alex was entirely asymptomatic."
Despite the pair of surgeries, it’s expected that Len will be ready for the beginning of the 2013-14 season. The timetable for his initial injury was set at four to six months, and this procedure isn’t expected to significantly alter that projection.
While some may express concern that Len needs so much work done before even stepping on an NBA court, it’s worth remembering the Suns have arguably the best medical staff in the league. If any team deserves the benefit of the doubt with player injuries, it’s Phoenix. So it’ll be interesting to see how Len recovers in the coming months.
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