CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte Hornets forward Kenny Gattison said yesterday that he probably is out for this season and may never play in the NBA again due to a sprain of the cervical spine that he suffered two weeks ago.
Team doctors have suggested a surgical procedure called anterior cervical discectomy anfusion as soon as Gattison's neurological symptoms reach a peak. They anticipate the surgery taking place at the start of next year.
Gattison, 30, has played 375 games for the Hornets and is a seven-year NBA veteran. He was averaging 8.0 points and 3.7 rebounds this season.
bTC He suffered the injury with 11.2 seconds remaining in a Nov. 15 game against Cleveland when the Cavaliers' Michael Cage inadvertently caught Gattison with an elbow.
Gattison says his hands remain numb. He has had trouble grasping drink glasses since the injury, and has likened the feeling to "how your lip feels after you've been to the dentist."