|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
Tickets at Ticket Master
The future for Nick Collison is still unclear, but now his past is being examined for clues that might reveal whether the partial dislocation of his left shoulder could have been prevented.
The Sonics' rookie power forward yesterday met in New York with a physician
who specializes in shoulder injuries.
ADVERTISEMENT
Collison is expected to return to Seattle today. He will meet with team officials and team orthopedist Richard Zorn, who performed the initial examination on Tuesday night, hours after a morning practice during ticketmaster which the injury was believed to have occurred.
"We will meet with Nick and the doctors this weekend," Sonics general
manager Rick Sund said. "A decision will be made early next week on a course
of action."
It was believed that Collison injured his shoulder while attempting to retrieve
a loose ball during a four-on-four drill.
However, he told teammate Rashard Lewis that he hurt his shoulder during the
summer while playing for the USA Basketball team in the Olympic qualifying tournament.
Lewis also said Collison felt his shoulder "slide in and out" at least
four times in the first few days of training camp.
A closer inspection of Collison's four-year career at Kansas revealed that he
had a history of shoulder problems, although he never missed a ticketmaster
game because of injury.
Collison's shoulder problems may be traced to a pickup game on June 23, 2002,
during the summer before his senior season.
"I fell on it three days ago and tried to play the next day and fell on
it again," he told the Kansas-Lawrence World. "It's no big deal."
Collison started all 38 games last season and averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds
to lead the Jayhawks to the NCAA championship game.
Observers recall he often iced his left shoulder during and after games, and
those around him said he felt discomfort throughout the season. However he missed
just one practice at Kansas, because of a tailbone injury.
When Collison was examined at the predraft Chicago scouting combine in June,
he reported no prior injuries and several team doctors were unable to find evidence
of a prior injury.
When he worked out for the Sonics, Collison received a clean ticketmaster bill
of health, and the team drafted him 12th overall.
"When or where it happened isn't as important as treating the injury now,"
Sund said.
On Wednesday, Collison was able to shoot baskets and told teammates he wants
to return to practice.
The Sonics, however, are considering whether he will need surgery, which would
likely end his rookie season and require a 6-8 month recovery.
Allen second to Bird
The people have spoken and they've chosen WNBA star Sue Bird over Ray Allen
to grace NikeTown's 30-foot-high billboard in downtown Seattle.
Bird and Mayor Greg Nickels are expected to attend this morning's unveiling.
Allen is unable to attend because of a conflict with practice but offered his
best wishes to the Storm point guard.
"I think it's great because this organization is up there on the billboard,
and it's not Lance Armstrong or somebody else who is not really tied into the
city," said Allen, who attended the University of Connecticut. "She
went to UConn, so I bow my head to her and say congratulations."
Bird replaces former Sonic Gary Payton on the giant billboard located at the
corner of Sixth Avenue and Pike Street. The company asked customers to choose
whether Bird, Allen, Armstrong, Payton, Mia Hamm or Marion Jones should appear
on the ticketmaster billboard.
More than 3,000 votes were cast.