According to a press release on the UConn Huskies website, UConn men’s basketball point guard Shabazz Napier has undergone surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot.
Here’s the release:
STORRS, Conn. — University of Connecticut junior guard Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.) will be out of action for the next several weeks as he recovers from surgery on his right foot to repair a bothersome stress fracture.
Napier, the Huskies’ most experienced returning player, had a right fifth metatarsal internal fixation performed Friday at John Dempsey Hospital at the UConn Health Center, basically meaning that a screw was inserted to promote healing of the fracture.
The fracture has been causing Napier discomfort for a few months and was the reason Napier decided to leave the Puerto Rican National Team after making the squad last spring. Rather than play hard on it all summer and possibly jeopardize his upcoming college season, Napier returned home for treatment.
According to the UConn medical staff, conservative treatment did not improve Napier’s condition, leading to the decision for surgery. Doctors said the operation was successful and Napier is expected to make a full recovery. He will be in a walking boot for a few weeks, but should be 100 percent healed by the time official practice begins on Oct. 13.
Napier played in all 34 of UConn’s games last season, starting 31, and averaged 13.0 points, 5.8 assists, and 35.0 minutes per game. In his two-year UConn career, he has scored 761 points and handed out 322 assists.
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photo credit: bettina hansen – hartford courant
