Paul George may need 12 to 18 months for full recovery says surgeon

When Paul George went down with a devastating knee injury during Team USA’s scrimmage on Friday night, it was obvious the Indiana Pacers star was going to be out for a significant period of time.

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Just how long Paul George would be on the mend was the question.

Initial reports suggested that George would miss 9 to 12 months, however, Dr. Patrick Kersey, who treated Louisville’s Kevin Ware when he sustained a similar injury during the NCAA tournament says the Indiana Pacers All-Star could need 12-18 months for a full recovery.

"A complete recovery, Kersey said, normally takes 12 to 18 months, though the fact he is an elite athlete in top shape could speed up that timeframe.‘It’s a challenge because (athletes) want to push the envelope always,” Kersey said. ”The question that is already being asked this morning is how quickly can he get back. He needs to heal. First, he has to get back to a normal life, then his body needs to work in an efficient way and once those pieces are in place, he can start training.”"

We’ve seen players return from significant injuries far too early, even in recent years, so there has to be a concern that Paul George – itching to get back on the court – will try to push himself to the limit in effort to do so. Thankfully he’ll have experts residing over his recovery who won’t medically clear him until they feel he’s ready for NBA action.

Kersey, who is not treating Paul George also stated he will likely need 6 to 10 weeks of recovery time from the operation and another 6 to 10 weeks just to get back to walking.

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