Junior center Ryan Hollins of the men’s basketball team
underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee last
Tuesday and is expected to fully recover by the time UCLA begins
fall practice on Oct. 16.
The knee began bothering Hollins during the spring, but the
injury was not caused by any specific incident.
“It crept up on me,” Hollins said. “It started
swelling up, but nothing big. The little things kept nagging
me.”
Hollins initially rested on the knee for much of June, but after
an MRI revealed nothing wrong, he began working out again to
prepare for the tryouts of the USA Basketball World Championship
for Young Men that took place last week in New Jersey.
He had participated on the 2003 USA Junior World Team and was
looking forward to another opportunity this year. However, the
right knee began giving him pain and continued to swell up, forcing
him to forgo the tryouts and undergo the surgery.
“I’m very disappointed,” Hollins said of
missing the training camp. “I had a good experience last year
playing for my country, and I got great exposure from it.”
The diagnostic procedure removed two loose bodies of cartilage and
revealed that the joints and ligaments were still healthy and
intact.
Hollins was on crutches last week, but is beginning
rehabilitation and will be ready to start practicing again in four
to six weeks.
“It’ll take up to the season before I’ll be
back to where I want and be ready to go,” Hollins said.
Last year, Hollins emerged as the Bruin’s starting center
halfway through the season, leading the team in blocked shots
and finishing third in rebounds per game. He is expected to help
anchor the front line this year.
“I can’t wait for the season to get here,”
Hollins said. “We have a great team and I’m
anticipating big things.”