Paul George skipping Team USA minicamp
Indiana Pacers forward Paul George is not going crazy this summer after working his way back from a gruesomely broken leg that he sustained last summer during an exhibition game with Team USA. George has informed the team that he will not be attending minicamp this summer, deciding instead to give his body a little bit of a break from competition, according to Pacers reporter Scott Agness.
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George spoke about the topic after his basketball camp on Saturday morning, per Vigilant Sports.
"“I’ll probably shut down this summer, just because it’s probably smart for me health wise just to take that week to rest and do it good justice for my body,” George said Saturday morning at his second annual basketball camp held at Avon High School."
George then continued to speak about his ongoing recovery from both his broken leg and calf strain.
"“It almost seems like it happened ages ago,” George said of his broken leg. “I forget sometimes it was less than a year (ago). It hasn’t really been in the back of my mind anymore. I’m kind of beyond that faze.“That’s the good thing. I’m not going on the court and having flashbacks or thinking about coming down wrong. I’ve just been out on the court playing and just working out, and that’s been a great thing for me.”"
George was one of the best players in the league during the 2013-14 campaign, leading Indiana to its second consecutive conference finals appearance against the Miami Heat. George was named an All-Pro and was averaging 21.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while playing some of the best wing defense in the league.
Then, George famously landed in an awkward position under the hoop during a Team USA scrimmage and shattered his leg, requiring him to be carried off the court and the game to be postponed after the players did not want to continue. It was a brutal injury that many believed could be career-threatening.
After months of rehab, George came back at the end of the 2014-15 season in hopes of getting Indiana into the playoffs. However, George was only able to participate in six games off the bench while playing 15.2 minutes per game while head coach Frank Vogel tried to slowly acclimate him.