Johnson Successfully Undergoes Surgery
July 1, 2011
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – University of Miami center Reggie Johnson successfully underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee and is expected to be sidelined for five to six months as he recuperates.
“We’re obviously extremely disappointed for Reggie,” said head coach Jim Larranaga, who is entering his first season at the helm for the Hurricanes. “He’s a big, strong player who has grown into a vital member of this team, and he was injured while working on improving his skills. He is a positive young man, and will work with our top-notch medical staff in rehabilitating the knee and returning to basketball. It’s too early to set a precise timeline on his return, but we are optimistic he will be back on the court as soon as possible, most likely by the beginning of conference play.”
Johnson injured the knee during a pick-up game with teammates on Monday and underwent a MRI on Tuesday afternoon. University of Miami team physician Dr. Bryson Lesniak, M.D., performed the surgery on Thursday which revealed the extent of the injury. Rehabilitation is expected to last from five to six months, which would allow Johnson to return in time for the start of the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule in January.
The 6-10, 305-pound center from Winston-Salem, N.C., tested the waters of the NBA Draft last spring and elected to return to the Hurricanes for his junior season in 2011-12. As a sophomore in 2011, Johnson was Miami’s leading rebounder and third-leading scorer, nearly averaging a double-double with 11.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. He converted 59.1 percent of his field goals – the third-highest single-season percentage in UM history, while adding a team-high 1.3 blocks per game. He finished the season ranked second in the ACC in offensive rebounds (3.5), fourth in both defensive rebounds (6.1) and overall rebounds and 20th in scoring.
Johnson – who earned All-ACC honorable mention honors – started 34 games last season, posting 13 double-doubles – including a 14-point, 20-rebound performance in the NIT first-round win over FAU. His 347 rebounds last season are the most for a Hurricane since Rick Barry posted a school-record 475 in 1964-65, while he scored in double figures 23 times, including four 20-point outings.
Miami will likely look to 6-11 redshirt sophomore Kenny Kadji (Florida), 6-10 senior Julian Gamble and 6-10 sophomore Raphael Akpejiori to fill the sizable void left by Johnson during his rehabilitation.
The Hurricanes return a veteran squad in 2011-12, losing just one player (Adrian Thomas) from a team that went 21-15 and advanced to the NIT quarterfinals. The Hurricanes return 86 percent of their scoring, 93 percent of their assists and 88 percent of their rebounding, while adding Kadji, 6-5 redshirt junior Trey McKinney Jones (UMKC) and 6-2 freshman guard Bishop Daniels.
