The Oklahoma City Thunder received bad news today, as Russell Westbrook had to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. As a result, ESPN reported on Oct. 1 that he will miss the first four to six weeks of the 2013-14 NBA season.
Westbrook had recently said he was unsure of the timetable for his return. He had never missed a game due to injury in high school, college or the NBA. When practice started this offseason, Westbrook was involved but when his injured knee started swelling again, doctors determined another surgery was required.
Westbrook fell to injury in the 2012-13 NBA playoffs against the Houston Rockets. He underwent surgery on his right knee to repair a torn lateral meniscus. It turned out the swelling this time was due to a loose stitch from that surgery and now a second procedure was necessary. Luckily, his meniscus healed properly.
According to Thunder general manager Sam Presti, the second surgery will allow Westbrook to return at 100 percent. The Thunder star said that, when he does make his return, he will not change how he plays and continue to go all out on every play without fear of another injury.
The Thunder recently said they will not look for someone to replace Kevin Martin and step into the role that James Harden once held. This means they will need youngsters like Jeremy Lamb and Reggie Jackson to step up and contribute at a high level until Westbrook is back.
