NBA Microfracture History

This is an attempt to compile information on NBA players who have undergone microfracture surgery. If you have anything to add or spot an error, please e-mail me at kevin.pelton@gmail.com. For more, see this similar research by The Sporting News which I discovered after beginning to compile this list.

Some notes on the chart:

Click on the link for confirmation of the date of the surgery. Click on the asterisk, when available, for more information on the player's surgery and comeback.

"RETURNED" is the date the player first played in an NBA game after the surgery. In some cases, because of the off-season, this may overstate the player's actual rehab/recovery time.

"GP%" is the percentage of games the player played. Generally, I tried to ignore the time after the surgery or before the player returned in a given season. That is, John Stockton missed 18 games following surgery in 1997-98, but played all 64 games after he was able to return. Thus, he is recorded as playing in 100% of games post-surgery.

The statistics are presented, in general, from the player's last season before the surgery and first season after it. Most stats courtesy Basketball-Reference.com

Most of the statistics are presented on a per-40 minute basis. "TS%" is True Shooting Percentage, a measure of shooting efficiency that is superior to field-goal percentage. "Win %" is the per-minute incarnation of my rating system.

This is solely a listing of players who underwent microfracture while in the NBA. Doug Christie and Spencer Hawes are known to have undergone the procedure before beginning their NBA careers.

Note that Gilbert Arenas is not included. While Arenas underwent a microfracture procedure, it was on the non-weight-bearing fibula rather than the tibia, the traditional site of the procedure.

PLAYER
DATE

AGE

RETURN

MISSED

Year
GP% MPG P40 R40 A40 S40 B40 TO40 TS% Win% notes

Kevin Johnson
?

?

?
Suns team doc Dr. Richard Emerson isn't sure now when he performed procedure on Johnson in "early 1990s."

John Stockton
10/14/97

35

12/8/97

2 months

1996-97
1997-98
100.0%
100.0% 35.3
29.0 16.3
16.6 3.1
3.6 11.3
11.7 2.3
1.9 0.2
0.2 3.4
3.5 .656
.628 .709
.699 Nobody used the term "microfracture" at the time, but post-Stoudemire news reports have listed Stockton as undergoing microfracture surgery. Given that, his fast return is remarkable.

Anfernee Hardaway
12/10/97

26

1/29/98

2 months

1997-98
61.9%
15.8% 36.1
26.0 22.4
12.3 4.9
4.6 3.3
7.4 1.9
1.5 0.7
1.8 2.8
3.3 .506
.369 .517
.416 Again, this has been termed a microfracture by Hardaway after the fact. He complained he was rushed back, playing six games later in the season before being shut down.

Brian Grant
6/??/99

35

11/17/99

4.5 months

1998-99
1999-00
96.0%
85.1% 31.8
21.0 14.4
13.9 12.3
10.4 1.8
1.9 0.6
1.0 0.9
0.8 2.5
2.5 .571
.540 .575
.487

Anfernee Hardaway
5/26/00

28

1/7/01

7 months

1999-00
2001-02
73.2%
97.6% 37.6
30.8 18.0
15.6 6.2
5.7 5.6
5.3 1.7
2.0 0.7
0.5 2.7
3.1 .549
.472 .581
.470 Hardaway played just four games in 2000-01, but was able to return as a starter the following two seasons.

PLAYER
DATE

AGE

RETURN

MISSED

Year
GP% MPG P40 R40 A40 S40 B40 TO40 TS% Win% notes

Kerry Kittles
6/15/00

26

10/30/01

16.5 months

1999-00
2001-02
75.6%
100% 30.6
31.7 17.0
16.9 4.7
4.2 3.0
3.3 1.7
2.0 0.4
0.5 1.2
1.7 .535
.542 .500
.508 Kittles missed the entire 2000-01 season following the surgery.

Antonio McDyess
?

?

?
McDyess underwent various surgeries connected to his left patella. I'm not sure which one was the microfracture.

Terrell Brandon
2/21/02

31

never
Brandon was forced into retirement following his surgery, which took place on his femur rather than his tibia, as I understand it.

Eduardo Najera
12/6/02

26

2/11/03

2 months

2002-03
100%
97.1% 25.4
25.0 13.8
10.2 8.3
7.8 1.6
1.8 1.9
1.1 0.7
0.6 0.6
0.7 .651
.559 .581
.456 Najera was injured during the 2002-03 season, had surgery, returned and played virtually every game the rest of the way.

Allan Houston
6/10/03

32

10/29/03

4.5 months

2002-03
2003-04
100%
61.0% 37.9
36.0 23.7
20.5 3.0
2.7 2.8
2.2 0.7
0.8 0.1
0.0 2.3
2.3 .563
.539 .477
.408 Houston was able to play normally through January 2004, but played just nine games the rest of the season. He played 20 games in 2004-05 before retiring in October 2005 (notwithstanding ill-fated training-camp comebacks).

PLAYER
DATE

AGE

RETURN

MISSED

Year
GP% MPG P40 R40 A40 S40 B40 TO40 TS% Win% notes

Chris Webber
6/10/03

32

3/2/04

9 months

2002-03
2003-04
81.2%
95.8% 39.1
36.1 23.5
20.7 10.7
9.6 5.6
5.1 1.6
1.5 1.3
1.0 3.3
2.9 .485
.456 .635
.530

Adrian Griffin
9/10/03

29

2/4/04

5 months

2002-03
2003-04
90.2%
54.3% 18.6
7.0 9.5
3.3 7.7
5.7 3.1
3.0 2.2
2.1 0.2
0.6 1.4
0.9 .463
.278 .429
.294 Griffin might have come back too soon and had a dismal 2003-04 season, but returned to form the following year.

Jamal Mashburn
11/3/03

30

1/28/04

3 months

2002-03
2003-04
100%
50% 40.5
38.4 21.3
21.7 6.0
6.4 5.6
2.6 1.0
0.8 0.2
0.3 2.8
2.0 .507
.457 .537
.395 Mashburn returned to play in 2003-04, but did not play at all in 2004-05 or 2005-06 before retiring in March 2006.

Matt Harpring
1/16/04

27

11/3/04

10 months

2003-04
2004-05
96.9%
95.1% 36.6
33.1 16.2
16.9 8.0
7.4 2.0
2.2 0.7
1.1 0.1
0.2 2.1
2.1 .524
.549 .492
.479

Pat Garrity
2/18/04

27

11/3/04

8.5 months

2002-03
2004-05

98.8%
86.6%
31.9
13.5 13.4
13.6 4.7
5.2 1.9
1.3 1.0
0.8 0.3
0.4 1.2
1.3 .551
.505 .383
.328 Garrity had two knee surgeries and played just two games during the 2003-04 season. While the link does not differentiate between the two, other sources indicate that the 2/18 surgery (Garrity's second) was a microfracture.

PLAYER
DATE

AGE

RETURN

MISSED

Year
GP% MPG P40 R40 A40 S40 B40 TO40 TS% Win% notes

Karl Malone
6/04

40

never
Malone contemplated whether or not to come back for the 2004-05 season for several months before opting to retire, a decision not necessarily tied to his knee.

Jason Kidd
7/1/04

31

12/6/04

5 months

2003-04
2004-05
81.7%
100% 36.6
36.9 16.9
15.6 7.0
8.0 10.1
9.0 2.0
2.0 0.2
0.1 3.5
2.7 .485
.506 .677
.656

Alvin Williams
10/22/04

30

11/5/05

12.5 months
Williams had missed the last month and a half of the 2003-04 season after arthroscopic surgery on the right knee. Having sat the entire 2004-05 season, he came back to play one game in November 2005 before undergoing another arthroscopic surgery and ultimately played two games in 2006-07.

Andrew DeClercq
3/2/05

32

never

Zach Randolph
3/31/05

23

11/2/05

7 months

2004-05
2005-06
83.6%
90.2% 34.8
34.4 21.7
20.9 11.0
9.3 2.1
2.3 0.8
0.9 0.4
0.2 2.8
2.6 .511
.483 .531
.467

PLAYER
DATE

AGE

RETURN

MISSED

Year
GP% MPG P40 R40 A40 S40 B40 TO40 TS% Win% notes

Matt Harpring
4/22?/05

28

11/2/05

6.5 months

2004-05
2005-06
95.1%
86.6% 33.1
27.4 16.9
18.2 7.4
7.6 2.2
2.0 1.1
1.2 0.2
0.3 2.1
2.2 .549
.542 .479
.497 Exact date is uncertain, but second surgery was definitely done in April 2005. Harpring was unable to play back-to-back games early in the 2005-06 season. It was reported as his second microfracture in 18 months, which fits the timeline of his season-ending Jan. 2004 surgery.

Bob Sura
5/??/05

32

never
Sura, also troubled by back problems, never returned to the NBA.

Kenyon Martin
5/16/05

27

11/1/05

5.5 months

2004-05
2005-06
85.4%
68.3% 32.5
27.6 19.1
18.6 9.0
9.1 3.0
2.0 1.8
1.1 1.4
1.3 2.6
1.9 .521
.533 .572
.512

Amar� Stoudemire
10/11/05

22

3/23/06

5 months

2004-05
2006-07
97.6%
100.0% 36.1
32.8 28.8
24.9 9.9
11.7 1.8
1.2 1.1
1.2 1.8
1.6 2.6
3.5 .617
.637 .703
.660 Stoudemire played four games in March 2006 before undergoing surgery on his other knee. He has since matched or surpassed his pre-surgery form.

Bryon Russell
11/4/05

34

2/15/06

3.5 months
Russell was a borderline candidate to make the Nuggets pre-surgery. After returning to the lineup for one game, he was traded to Seattle for salary-cap purposes on 2/23/06 and the Sonics and Russell agreed that he would be released and retire.

PLAYER
DATE

AGE

RETURN

MISSED

Year
GP% MPG P40 R40 A40 S40 B40 TO40 TS% Win% notes

Dion Glover
11/15/05

27

?

?
Out of NBA Glover moved to Europe following surgery.

Dijon Thompson
3/13/06

22

11/1/06

7.5 months
In D-League Thompson attended training camp with Golden State, but was waived and played in the D-League. He did ultimately play six games in 2006-07 for Atlanta.

Rashad McCants
6/16/06

21

1/31/07

7.5 months

2005-06
2006-07
96.3%
97.4% 17.2
15.0 18.4
13.3 4.2
3.4 1.9
2.7 1.3
1.9 0.6
0.5 2.5
2.9 .539
.454 .392
.317 McCants returned midway through 2006-07 and struggled before emerging as a high-scoring reserve the following season.

Darius Miles
11/14/06

25

N/A
Miles was waived by the Blazers in April 2008 under the premise that his surgery was career ending. However, he has been invited to 2008 training camp by the Boston Celtics.

Kenyon Martin
11/15/06

28

10/31/07

11.5 months

2005-06
2007-08
68.3%
86.6% 27.6
30.4 18.6
16.2 9.1
8.5 2.0
1.7 1.1
1.6 1.3
1.6 1.9
1.7 .533
.553 .512
.473 Martin is believed to be the first NBA player to have microfracture surgery performed on both knees. (Two NFL players, Tony Brackens and Matt Lepsis, have returned from microfracture procedures on both knees.) The first surgery was on his left knee, the second on his right knee.

PLAYER
DATE

AGE

RETURN

MISSED

Year
GP% MPG P40 R40 A40 S40 B40 TO40 TS% Win% notes

Greg Oden
9/13/07

19

10/28/07

13.5 months

2008-09
74.4% 21.5 16.5 12.9 0.9 0.8 2.1 2.6 .601 .597 The No. 1 overall pick, Oden underwent the microfracture procedure before the start of his rookie season and missed the entire campaign.

Sean May
10/9/07

23

10/30/08

13 months

2006-07
2008-09
42.7%
29.3% 23.9
12.5 19.9
12.4 11.1
9.2 3.2
1.3 0.9
0.7 1.1
0.5 2.7
3.5 .551
.435 .588
.279 May has had a history of knee problems since entering the NBA, culminating in the microfracture.

Mouhamed Sene
4/14/08

21

11/12/08

7 months
Sene played just 13 games before injuring his knee in 2008, spending most of the season in the D-League.

Tracy McGrady
2/24/09

29

N/A

PLAYER	DATE	AGE	RETURN	MISSED	Year	GP%	MPG	P40	R40	A40	S40	B40	TO40	TS%	Win%	notes
Kevin Johnson	?	?	?													Suns team doc Dr. Richard Emerson isn't sure now when he performed procedure on Johnson in "early 1990s."

John Stockton	10/14/97	35	12/8/97	2 months	1996-97 1997-98	100.0% 100.0%	35.3 29.0	16.3 16.6	3.1 3.6	11.3 11.7	2.3 1.9	0.2 0.2	3.4 3.5	.656 .628	.709 .699	Nobody used the term "microfracture" at the time, but post-Stoudemire news reports have listed Stockton as undergoing microfracture surgery. Given that, his fast return is remarkable.

Anfernee Hardaway	12/10/97	26	1/29/98	2 months	1997-98	61.9% 15.8%	36.1 26.0	22.4 12.3	4.9 4.6	3.3 7.4	1.9 1.5	0.7 1.8	2.8 3.3	.506 .369	.517 .416	Again, this has been termed a microfracture by Hardaway after the fact. He complained he was rushed back, playing six games later in the season before being shut down.

Brian Grant	6/??/99	35	11/17/99	4.5 months	1998-99 1999-00	96.0% 85.1%	31.8 21.0	14.4 13.9	12.3 10.4	1.8 1.9	0.6 1.0	0.9 0.8	2.5 2.5	.571 .540	.575 .487

Anfernee Hardaway	5/26/00	28	1/7/01	7 months	1999-00 2001-02	73.2% 97.6%	37.6 30.8	18.0 15.6	6.2 5.7	5.6 5.3	1.7 2.0	0.7 0.5	2.7 3.1	.549 .472	.581 .470	Hardaway played just four games in 2000-01, but was able to return as a starter the following two seasons.

PLAYER	DATE	AGE	RETURN	MISSED	Year	GP%	MPG	P40	R40	A40	S40	B40	TO40	TS%	Win%	notes
Kerry Kittles	6/15/00	26	10/30/01	16.5 months	1999-00 2001-02	75.6% 100%	30.6 31.7	17.0 16.9	4.7 4.2	3.0 3.3	1.7 2.0	0.4 0.5	1.2 1.7	.535 .542	.500 .508	Kittles missed the entire 2000-01 season following the surgery.

Antonio McDyess	?	?	?													McDyess underwent various surgeries connected to his left patella. I'm not sure which one was the microfracture.

Terrell Brandon	2/21/02	31	never													Brandon was forced into retirement following his surgery, which took place on his femur rather than his tibia, as I understand it.

Eduardo Najera	12/6/02	26	2/11/03	2 months	2002-03	100% 97.1%	25.4 25.0	13.8 10.2	8.3 7.8	1.6 1.8	1.9 1.1	0.7 0.6	0.6 0.7	.651 .559	.581 .456	Najera was injured during the 2002-03 season, had surgery, returned and played virtually every game the rest of the way.

Allan Houston	6/10/03	32	10/29/03	4.5 months	2002-03 2003-04	100% 61.0%	37.9 36.0	23.7 20.5	3.0 2.7	2.8 2.2	0.7 0.8	0.1 0.0	2.3 2.3	.563 .539	.477 .408	Houston was able to play normally through January 2004, but played just nine games the rest of the season. He played 20 games in 2004-05 before retiring in October 2005 (notwithstanding ill-fated training-camp comebacks).

PLAYER	DATE	AGE	RETURN	MISSED	Year	GP%	MPG	P40	R40	A40	S40	B40	TO40	TS%	Win%	notes
Chris Webber	6/10/03	32	3/2/04	9 months	2002-03 2003-04	81.2% 95.8%	39.1 36.1	23.5 20.7	10.7 9.6	5.6 5.1	1.6 1.5	1.3 1.0	3.3 2.9	.485 .456	.635 .530

Adrian Griffin	9/10/03	29	2/4/04	5 months	2002-03 2003-04	90.2% 54.3%	18.6 7.0	9.5 3.3	7.7 5.7	3.1 3.0	2.2 2.1	0.2 0.6	1.4 0.9	.463 .278	.429 .294	Griffin might have come back too soon and had a dismal 2003-04 season, but returned to form the following year.

Jamal Mashburn	11/3/03	30	1/28/04	3 months	2002-03 2003-04	100% 50%	40.5 38.4	21.3 21.7	6.0 6.4	5.6 2.6	1.0 0.8	0.2 0.3	2.8 2.0	.507 .457	.537 .395	Mashburn returned to play in 2003-04, but did not play at all in 2004-05 or 2005-06 before retiring in March 2006.

Matt Harpring	1/16/04	27	11/3/04	10 months	2003-04 2004-05	96.9% 95.1%	36.6 33.1	16.2 16.9	8.0 7.4	2.0 2.2	0.7 1.1	0.1 0.2	2.1 2.1	.524 .549	.492 .479

Pat Garrity	2/18/04	27	11/3/04	8.5 months	2002-03 2004-05	98.8% 86.6%	31.9 13.5	13.4 13.6	4.7 5.2	1.9 1.3	1.0 0.8	0.3 0.4	1.2 1.3	.551 .505	.383 .328	Garrity had two knee surgeries and played just two games during the 2003-04 season. While the link does not differentiate between the two, other sources indicate that the 2/18 surgery (Garrity's second) was a microfracture.

PLAYER	DATE	AGE	RETURN	MISSED	Year	GP%	MPG	P40	R40	A40	S40	B40	TO40	TS%	Win%	notes
Karl Malone	6/04	40	never													Malone contemplated whether or not to come back for the 2004-05 season for several months before opting to retire, a decision not necessarily tied to his knee.

Jason Kidd	7/1/04	31	12/6/04	5 months	2003-04 2004-05	81.7% 100%	36.6 36.9	16.9 15.6	7.0 8.0	10.1 9.0	2.0 2.0	0.2 0.1	3.5 2.7	.485 .506	.677 .656

Alvin Williams	10/22/04	30	11/5/05	12.5 months												Williams had missed the last month and a half of the 2003-04 season after arthroscopic surgery on the right knee. Having sat the entire 2004-05 season, he came back to play one game in November 2005 before undergoing another arthroscopic surgery and ultimately played two games in 2006-07.

Andrew DeClercq	3/2/05	32	never

Zach Randolph	3/31/05	23	11/2/05	7 months	2004-05 2005-06	83.6% 90.2%	34.8 34.4	21.7 20.9	11.0 9.3	2.1 2.3	0.8 0.9	0.4 0.2	2.8 2.6	.511 .483	.531 .467

PLAYER	DATE	AGE	RETURN	MISSED	Year	GP%	MPG	P40	R40	A40	S40	B40	TO40	TS%	Win%	notes
Matt Harpring	4/22?/05	28	11/2/05	6.5 months	2004-05 2005-06	95.1% 86.6%	33.1 27.4	16.9 18.2	7.4 7.6	2.2 2.0	1.1 1.2	0.2 0.3	2.1 2.2	.549 .542	.479 .497	Exact date is uncertain, but second surgery was definitely done in April 2005. Harpring was unable to play back-to-back games early in the 2005-06 season. It was reported as his second microfracture in 18 months, which fits the timeline of his season-ending Jan. 2004 surgery.

Bob Sura	5/??/05	32	never													Sura, also troubled by back problems, never returned to the NBA.

Kenyon Martin	5/16/05	27	11/1/05	5.5 months	2004-05 2005-06	85.4% 68.3%	32.5 27.6	19.1 18.6	9.0 9.1	3.0 2.0	1.8 1.1	1.4 1.3	2.6 1.9	.521 .533	.572 .512

Amar� Stoudemire	10/11/05	22	3/23/06	5 months	2004-05 2006-07	97.6% 100.0%	36.1 32.8	28.8 24.9	9.9 11.7	1.8 1.2	1.1 1.2	1.8 1.6	2.6 3.5	.617 .637	.703 .660	Stoudemire played four games in March 2006 before undergoing surgery on his other knee. He has since matched or surpassed his pre-surgery form.

Bryon Russell	11/4/05	34	2/15/06	3.5 months												Russell was a borderline candidate to make the Nuggets pre-surgery. After returning to the lineup for one game, he was traded to Seattle for salary-cap purposes on 2/23/06 and the Sonics and Russell agreed that he would be released and retire.

PLAYER	DATE	AGE	RETURN	MISSED	Year	GP%	MPG	P40	R40	A40	S40	B40	TO40	TS%	Win%	notes
Dion Glover	11/15/05	27	?	?	Out of NBA											Glover moved to Europe following surgery.

Dijon Thompson	3/13/06	22	11/1/06	7.5 months	In D-League											Thompson attended training camp with Golden State, but was waived and played in the D-League. He did ultimately play six games in 2006-07 for Atlanta.

Rashad McCants	6/16/06	21	1/31/07	7.5 months	2005-06 2006-07	96.3% 97.4%	17.2 15.0	18.4 13.3	4.2 3.4	1.9 2.7	1.3 1.9	0.6 0.5	2.5 2.9	.539 .454	.392 .317	McCants returned midway through 2006-07 and struggled before emerging as a high-scoring reserve the following season.

Darius Miles	11/14/06	25	N/A													Miles was waived by the Blazers in April 2008 under the premise that his surgery was career ending. However, he has been invited to 2008 training camp by the Boston Celtics.

Kenyon Martin	11/15/06	28	10/31/07	11.5 months	2005-06 2007-08	68.3% 86.6%	27.6 30.4	18.6 16.2	9.1 8.5	2.0 1.7	1.1 1.6	1.3 1.6	1.9 1.7	.533 .553	.512 .473	Martin is believed to be the first NBA player to have microfracture surgery performed on both knees. (Two NFL players, Tony Brackens and Matt Lepsis, have returned from microfracture procedures on both knees.) The first surgery was on his left knee, the second on his right knee.

PLAYER	DATE	AGE	RETURN	MISSED	Year	GP%	MPG	P40	R40	A40	S40	B40	TO40	TS%	Win%	notes
Greg Oden	9/13/07	19	10/28/07	13.5 months	2008-09	74.4%	21.5	16.5	12.9	0.9	0.8	2.1	2.6	.601	.597	The No. 1 overall pick, Oden underwent the microfracture procedure before the start of his rookie season and missed the entire campaign.

Sean May	10/9/07	23	10/30/08	13 months	2006-07 2008-09	42.7% 29.3%	23.9 12.5	19.9 12.4	11.1 9.2	3.2 1.3	0.9 0.7	1.1 0.5	2.7 3.5	.551 .435	.588 .279	May has had a history of knee problems since entering the NBA, culminating in the microfracture.

Mouhamed Sene	4/14/08	21	11/12/08	7 months												Sene played just 13 games before injuring his knee in 2008, spending most of the season in the D-League.

Tracy McGrady	2/24/09	29	N/A