Grant Hill's Ankle Injury Sidelines Him For Season

Jet, Jan 15, 2001

For the rest of the season, Orlando Magic's Grant Hill will be cheering on his team from the sidelines while he recovers from his second ankle surgery.

The five-time All Star, who was acquired from Detroit in the offseason, is expected to need 6-to-8 months of rehabilitation before returning.

Hill, 28, was originally injured at the end of last season and had surgery last April to repair a broken bone in his left ankle. He was forced to miss the Sydney Olympics and he only appeared in four regular-season games for the Magic.

"You don't ever really want to have surgery unless you have to and I guess in this case I do," said Hill, who is in the first year of his seven-year, $94 million contract with the team.

Hill, a 6-foot-8 forward, had a plate and five screws inserted to help his ankle heal from the first surgery. This time, it was reported a bone graft would be done and new screws reinserted into the ankle.