NBA Report: Knee injury sidelines Phoenix Suns rookie Gani Lawal for the season
The Phoenix Suns got some very bad news when they learned that rookie Gani Lawal would miss the rest of the season due to torn ligaments in his right knee.
Lawal suffered the injury during a practice session on Thursday morning at US Airways Center. Initially his injury report was not disclosed but later on, the Suns announced that Lawal was injured during practice.
Lawal’s status is listed as day-to-day until the end of this season after a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a partially torn medial collateral ligament. Suns officials said that
once Lawal’s right knee swelling subsides, he would undergo a knee surgery within two weeks.
Lawal was the 46th overall pick in 2010 and proved himself as a future asset for Phoenix Suns when he went on to play in the Las Vegas Summer League for the Suns and led the summer squad in scoring (15.4 points per game) and rebounding
(7.4 rebounds per game).
Bassy, the Sun’s GM appreciated Lawal’s sizzling performance, “In my opinion, Gani Lawal’s performance during the Las Vegas Summer League should guarantee him a roster spot, especially with the Suns looking to replace the production
of Amar’e Stoudemire. There is a lot to like about Gani Lawal’s game, but he does need to improve his outside shot before he can truly be a factor for the Phoenix Suns. Even with that iffy jumper, I can see him being a spark guy coming off the bench and giving
good and physical minutes in spurts.”
On August 1, 2010, the Suns signed Lawal to a three-year contract. The Suns gave a three-year contract to Lawal, including a first-year guaranteed salary; clearly show that they believe that he can be a valuable piece in the future.
Standing 6 ft 9 inch, Lawal is widely regarded as a good defender and rebounder, which the Suns need, and could play an important role in the Suns’ future.
This season, Lawal has shown remarkable improvement and desire to overcome some of his weaknesses. His post work looks substantially better now days and he has raised his game defensively as well. Although, he does not always demonstrate
quality defensive plays, he has been closing out shooters aggressively this season.
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