Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green is expected to undergo surgery for an aortic aneurysm discovered during a routine checkup.
In short, an aortic aneurysm is a ballooning of the aorta, the major artery that carries blood from the heart through the rest of the body. The surgery is scheduled for Monday, and the Celtics are expecting that Green will have to miss the entire season .
The entire nature of Green’s condition has not yet been revealed, but several sources, including Green himself, have maintained a positive outlook. Danny Ainge, Celtic’s president of operations, released this statement:
“While we are saddened that Jeff will not be able to play this season, the most important thing is his health, and we were fortunate to have access to an amazing team of specialists to evaluate Jeff’s case. The entire Celtics family supports Jeff during this difficult time in his career.’’
Green, 25, said via Twitter:
“Thank u everyone for ur thoughts and prayers…much appreciated love u all..and I’ll be back soon stronger and better than ever I promise”
Green’s situation is not without precedent in the NBA. Many players have undergone heart surgery before and continued their careers: Ronny Turiaf in 2005 and Etan Thomas in 2007, both of the Washington Wizards.
Green is expected to make a full recovery.
Was the condition caught just in the nick of time? Does Green still have a long career ahead of him or is his professional career going to sputter and fade? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below.
