McGary out Indefinitely...back surgery to come

per Twitter.

Saw it on the bleacher report.

The latter half of 2013 has not been kind to Michigan sports.

That sucks. I have been in fear of this for months though. We can still have very good team but I can't see us making any kind of long run in the tourney.

'shoes

Well this absolutely sucks. As quiet as McGary has been, he has still been putting up 9.5ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.5apg, and 1.9spg in 24.8mpg.

The Bad News:
-Without McGary, Michigan's only two players over 6'7 are Morgan and Horford. not only are both below-average Big Ten centers, but that is not the kind of depth you would like to have. Both of those two battled injuries last season and an injury to either one of them would be devastating now.

-Without McGary, I don't see Michigan finishing top 4 in the Big Ten. McGary's style of play was perfect for Big Ten season. Horford and Morgan are much softer.

-There is no timetable for his return, which means there is a possibility McGary never suits up for Michigan again.


The Not As Bad News:
-Michigan is still very talented 1 through 4. If GRIII plays to his potential and our freshmen (Irvin and Walton) step up, Michigan should still be pretty good.

-Michigan has a 4* 6'9 freshman they have been planning on red-shirting. Beilein said that burning the red shirt isn't being considered at this time, but I expect to see it. Donnal will give Michigan much needed fouls/minutes off the bench. Though he is scrawny, he provides a much better 3rd center option than 6'7 Max Bielfeldt.

-They have not disclosed (to my knowledge) what surgery he will be having. If he is having a diskectomy or foraminotomy, we would likely see him back before post-season play. However, if it is laminectomy or spinal fusion, he is almost surely done for the season.

-The injury, his drop in draft stock, and Michigan's underwhelming season may prompt McGary to return another year and try to play himself into the lottery. This would make him a 23 year old NBA rookie which isn't as bad as people portray.

wshoes wrote:

That sucks. I have been in fear of this for months though. We can still have very good team but I can't see us making any kind of long run in the tourney.

'shoes

Based on how far we'd have gotten---particularly with the way the Kansas game went---without him in last year's Dance, Shoes, I'd have to say that, regrettably, your above prognostication is pretty fair...

As for the decision to have back surgery, nothing will induce me to retract my following statement: It was the wisest move Mitch could have made. Playing (or even practicing) while postponing any surgery at this point would almost surely have exacerbated the damage(s) to
whichever muscle(s), tendons(s) or ligament(s) were problematic. To say nothing of the emotional throes it would have brought on Mitch to know he wasn't nearly the player he was last year or was expected---and hoped---to be this year.

I am no doctor but it seems like herniated disks are one of the most common back injuries. Anyone know the recovery time for something like that? Truth be told I don't even know if herniated disks require surgery. Just trying to figure out what he may be suffering from.

I saw this last night while switching back and forth from the SDSU game and the BTN channel. Instantly felt sick. Ahhh what could have been. I tend to agree with michmike said, get the surgery now. Dont push it and make it worse.

Just shows how spot on shoes was a month or two ago when everyone around the program, including Mitch, was downplaying the injury and saying he'd be ready soon. Shoes said that no back injury to big guy that plays like Mitch is minor and shoes had serious concerns back then. Well played sir. I hate the scenario in which I'm giving it but, +1 shoes.

by the way did they ever give a diagnosis or give a time table to share the diagnosis?

sandyeggo_blue wrote:

I saw this last night while switching back and forth from the SDSU game and the BTN channel. Instantly felt sick. Ahhh what could have been. I tend to agree with michmike said, get the surgery now. Dont push it and make it worse.

Just shows how spot on shoes was a month or two ago when everyone around the program, including Mitch, was downplaying the injury and saying he'd be ready soon. Shoes said that no back injury to big guy that plays like Mitch is minor and shoes had serious concerns back then. Well played sir. I hate the scenario in which I'm giving it but, +1 shoes.

Sandy, thanks but I'm no genius and man did I want to be wrong.