from Point Forward in SI
The Suns announced Saturday that 2013 lottery pick Alex Len has undergone a second ankle surgery in a little more than two months.
“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,” Suns president Lon Babby said in a statement. “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.”
Len, who was unable to conduct pre-draft workouts because he underwent surgery to “stabilize” a partial stress fracture in his left ankle in May, is expected to be available for the 2013-14 season opener. His initial timeline after the first surgery was placed at 4-to-6 months, but that didn’t prevent his name from being floated as a possible No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft. He eventually went to Phoenix at No. 5.
Listed at 7-foot-1-inch, the 20-year-old Ukranian averaged 11.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks as a sophomore at Maryland.
New Suns general manager Ryan McDonough addressed Len’s left ankle injury following the draft, noting that Phoenix’s famed medical staff expected a full recovery and no lingering issues.
“Our medical people, who are some of the best in the league, took a close look at it and studied it,” McDonough told Valley Of The Suns. “And we’re confident he won’t have issues going forward. So I guess I’ll just say we would not have drafted him if we thought it was a significant medical risk.”
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