It was announced yesterday that the new Golden State Warriors’ rookie Kevon Looney would miss the next 4-6 months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum. Once upon a time, Looney was widely considered as a lottery pick, but his hip issues raised concerns for front offices in the league. It was the only reason why a talented young player like him was able to drop to the Warriors at pick 30 in the NBA Draft.
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On the surface, losing Looney to an injury like this doesn’t bode well for him and the Warriors. A 19-year old requiring surgery on his hip could mean that he automatically receives the “injury-prone” tag. And for Looney, who has his entire NBA career to look forward to, starting it off with surgery isn’t the ideal start.
However, the injury and the surgery isn’t as bad as it first seems.
When the Warriors drafted Looney, there was talk that the Warriors were contemplating whether they would request Looney undergo surgery to correct a hip injury. Warriors’ general manager Bob Myers described it as:
"“We might have to look into having a procedure done, but I don’t see it as any long-term, chronic issue… We’re taking the time to make the right decision. We need him more in years two, three, four and beyond than we do this season.”"
They, like many other front offices, were aware of Looney’s health concerns when he entered the draft. A player like him, with such high upside, doesn’t just fall so drastically unless there are fears surrounding their health, mentality, or work ethic. In other words, the Warriors were prepared for a situation where Looney would have to undergo surgery – this isn’t a surprise for them.
And from Myers’ quote today: “it was best to address the issue now”, it could be implied that the Warriors had the choice of delaying or avoiding the surgery/issue altogether, but chose to nip it in the bud.
Taking that tact, you could even spin this incident into a positive. Looney admitted that he had been playing with a hip problem throughout college and in the NBA workouts, but also claimed that it hadn’t been affecting him. If he was already playing at a lottery pick level with a hip that wasn’t 100 percent, just imagine how well he could play if he was fully fit.
The Warriors don’t need Looney next season. They drafted him for his potential, and the possibility that he might turn out to be one of their future starting forwards. Losing a season will stunt his growth, but if it means ensuring that he is fully fit entering the 2016-17 season, I’m sure it’s a price the Warriors are willing to pay.
So everyone, taking a deep breath and relax. It’s not as bad as it seems.