HOUSTON – Today, the Houston Rockets announced that forward Tari Eason underwent successful surgery to treat a benign growth in his lower leg. The surgery, which was performed by Dr. Ned Amendola at Duke University, involved excising and bone grafting the lesion along with inserting an intramedullary rod in his tibia to help accelerate healing.
The issue became symptomatic for Eason after sustaining a blow to his leg during a preseason game vs. Indiana on Oct. 10, 2023. It was not at risk of causing a fracture to his tibia and presented a possibility of healing with non-surgical treatment which would have allowed Eason to return to play this season.
Following a slow healing process, the decision was made to move forward with the surgery in order for Eason to be ready for the start of next season. He is expected to make a full recovery in approximately four months.
Eason finishes the season averaging 9.8 points, 7.0 rebound and 1.41 steals in 21.8 minutes per game. No other player in NBA history has averaged at least 9.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 1.40 spg in a season while playing fewer than 25.0 mpg. Eason appeared in all 82 games as a rookie in 2022-23.
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