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Shaq to have toe surgery

Aug 31, 2002 9:10 PM EST

Tim Brown of the Los Angeles Times reports: After more than two months of angst and analysis, Laker center Shaquille O'Neal has scheduled the surgery doctors believe will ease the pain in his arthritic toe for Sept. 11.

As expected, Dr. Robert Mohr will perform the surgery, called a cheilectomy, at UCLA Medical Center.

The recovery is expected to take about eight weeks, and O'Neal, the most valuable player of the last three NBA Finals, could miss most or all of training camp and some of the regular season.

The Lakers open their bid for a fourth consecutive championship Oct. 29 against San Antonio. If O'Neal's rehabilitation follows its projected schedule--it varies from patient to patient and could take as much as a month longer--O'Neal would return within about a week of the opener.

A virus that gripped O'Neal in recent weeks looms as a potential complication. If he continues to show symptoms of the virus that forced him to be hospitalized because his body temperature spiked and liver swelled, the surgery would be delayed again. Perry Rogers, O'Neal's agent, said Friday that the date was set assuming the virus would be diminished enough or eradicated in time for the surgery.

"Shaquille wants to get on with this," Rogers said. "We can't wait anymore."

Via Los Angeles Times

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Shaq to have surgery

Aug 22, 2002 9:03 AM EST

Howard Beck of the Los Angeles Daily News reports: Shaquille O'Neal will undergo surgery on his troublesome big toe sometime in the next two to three weeks, but his recovery time could be shorter than once expected, his representative said Wednesday.

A painful arthritic condition had the Lakers' franchise player limping through much of last season and forced him to the injured list twice. After weighing several options, O'Neal has chosen to have a cheilectomy, in which bone spurs will be shaved off the toe, increasing his mobility and, he hopes, decreasing the pain.

O'Neal will be able to walk immediately after the surgery and should be running full-speed within six weeks, according to his agent, Perry Rogers.

Assuming the operation is performed in early September, it's at least conceivable O'Neal would be back in time for the season opener, Oct. 29, when the Lakers play host to the San Antonio Spurs.

"The odds are greater than 90 percent that he will experience much less pain than he did last season," Rogers said.

Via Los Angeles Daily News

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Flu blamed for Shaq's no show

Aug 20, 2002 5:51 AM EST

A team spokesman said Monday that Lakers superstar Shaquille O'Neal was recovering from 'a flu-like virus that gave him a 103-degree fever' which forced him to cancel his appearance to a camp which bares his name.

ESPN.com is reporting that Shaq spent Thursday night in an Orlando hospital and was released Friday, tests revealing that it was nothing more than a simple virus.

"The virus will take its normal course and work its way out of his system,'' Lakers spokesman Michael Ulenkamp said.

The organizers of the event, named the 'Shaquille O'Neal Tampa Celebrity Basketball Weekend', were not notified that O'Neal was ill and said they were at a loss to explain O'Neal's absence.

"Everyone's disappointed: the kids, the parents, the community,'' said promoter Darryl Madison of Paramount Celebrity Management Co.

Via

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Lakers Aug 2002 Archive

  • O'Neal fails to show at his own camp

    | Aug 18, 2002

    Despite parents paying $250 per child for them to attend a camp run by Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal, and despite being contracted more than $50,000 to run the camp, O'Neal simply failed to show up.

  • Lakers sign Guyton

    | Aug 14, 2002

    The L.

  • Shaq reportly to schedule toe surgery

    ESPN | Aug 14, 2002

    ESPN.

  • Nets' upgrade still falls short

    | Aug 11, 2002

    Peter May writes that the Nets may have improved themselves with last weeks’ trade to acquire Dikembe Mutombo, but the trade “will not, in any way, shape, or form, give them the body they need to compete against Shaquille O'Neal.

  • Hundley Called It: Hearn in a Class Alone

    Salt Lake Tribune | Aug 7, 2002

    The greatest compliment Chick Hearn ever paid Rod Hundley was agreeing to work alongside him.

  • Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn dies at 85

    | Aug 6, 2002

    The Associated Press reports that legendary Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn died Monday night.

  • Hearn remains critical after surgery

    | Aug 5, 2002

    The AP reports that longtime Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn is still in critical condition after undergoing two operations for a head injury.

  • Hearn Critical After Falling

    | Aug 3, 2002

    Mike Itagaki of the Los Angeles Times reports that legendary Lakers announcer Chick Hearn is in critical condition at a Northridge hospital Friday after he fell and hit his head in the backyard of his Encino home, officials said.