Tennessee forward Amber Gray underwent shoulder surgery Thursday and won’t be ready to play for the Lay Vols for six months.
The 6-foot-1 rising sophomore injured her left shoulder in a post-season practice.
“Drs. Greg Mathien and Russell Betcher, UT team orthopaedists, performed surgery on Amber’s left shoulder,” said Jenny Moshak, University of Tennessee Associate Athletics Director for Sports Medicine. “The arthroscopic surgery addressed a repair to her posterior capsule and labrum.”
According to Moshak, Gray’s rehabilitation will begin immediately. Based on a six-month timetable, Gray would be ready to play in January when the SEC schedule starts.
Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt was not optimistic about when Gray will be ready to play.
“I don’t think there is any way you can fast-forward what is going on,” Summitt said. “It’s going to take time.”
Summitt wasn’t sure how Gray will respond after the surgery. Gray’s freshman season was not impressive. She played in 27 games, averaging 7.6 minutes of playing time per game. She had 2.7 scoring and 1.9 rebounding averages.
But, Summitt was seeing improvement.
“It’s wait and see as to what happens. It’s a guessing game,” she said. “Mentally and physically, she’s a lot stronger going into it, very positive.”
Summitt said the staff has not yet discussed the possibility of red-shirting Gray, but would consider it.
“We have to make decisions when we have more facts,” she said. “I’m certainly not going to rule out that she can get back and play.”
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Comments » 14
kiffownsfla writes:
Get well! GO LADY VOLS!
ncvol17 writes:
red shirt..why chance a down year for the girl?
BxVol writes:
Get well soon Amber!
KCHS63 writes:
Redshirts can be very positive. Just ask Nikki McCray, Daedra Charles, or Candace Parker what a year off can do for you.
littleorange writes:
Good luck Amber......Use this time to heal and improve your conditioning.....look forward to your return....
movol53 writes:
Red shirt year can be productive!!!
Instead of trying to "hurry mother nature" and chance not healing correctly. Do the red shirt and come back stronger; mentally and physically.
GO LADY VOLS!!!!!!
dwolfcreek#397971 writes:
need to do surgery on her attitude .
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
In hind sight it would have been far better to have red shirted Vicki Baugh last year, and probably Cait as well.
It worked for Alex Fuller, Candace Parker, and I think Sidney Spencer. I know Jenny Mo really works well with the gals, but Mother Nature takes her own sweet time sometimes.
GO LADY VOLS! I feel two Final FOurs coming on this year, and a BCS Bowl.
packie56 writes:
Yours could use a little adjustment, too.
Red shirt is looking good right now. Time to heal, time to mature and get stronger and come back hungrier to play!
YankeeVol writes:
Good luck, kid... You can come back even stronger.
Volunatic writes:
Recovering from shoulder surgery is tough.
GOOD LUCK, AMBER GRAY!!! Your team needs you to be 100%!
ladivolfan writes:
Enough with the injuries already!
LdyVolFaninKS writes:
The injury saga continues. I think a red shirt year might just be the best thing for Amber. Sit back and really learn the game. It will make her hungry to play. Lets just hope she doesn't put on weight while she's doing it!
MillisaAnn writes:
Get Well Soon Amber!!!
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