Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was in the midst of a surprising rookie season: he quickly worked his way into the starting lineup and stuck there with his defensive tenacity. But his season was cut short after suffering an ankle injury during a Nets practice that required surgery, and he’s expected to be out until February.
In a personal blog, Hollis-Jefferson details his reaction to the injury and looks forward to the new year, saying he’s taking the injury one day at a time.
Once an injury happens, it happens. You can’t take it back. There’s no reason to sulk, and the quicker you can accept what happened, the better it is for you. Things happen for a reason. It’s part of life. So I’m taking it for what it’s worth and will learn from it. It’s a humbling experience that’s helping me grow as a person. I understand that everything isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. You have to go through the extra rain sometimes. I’m aware of that and I’m taking it one day at a time.
He added that he’s expecting a return to the court in “the beginning of March,” and that he’s getting closer to walking every day.
Through 19 games (14 starts), Hollis-Jefferson had scored 5.2 points and snared 6.1 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game, leading all shooting guards (not just rookies) in rebound rate and ESPN’s defensive real adjusted plus-minus, which seeks to estimate a player’s defensive impact on his team.
Hollis-Jefferson was fitted for a walking boot following the surgery, and that’s not the only change to his appearance… Check out that hair.
The Nets have two rookies recovering from long-term injuries filling up their inactive list. Chris McCullough, who the Nets selected 29th overall this past year, has been rehabilitating from a torn ACL. There’s a chance he sits out the entire season, though he’s worked out privately with the team since the draft and could be healthy enough to play this year.
SportsBlog — All About Getting Healthy This New Year
