The NBA / Sam McManis : After a Year, Ex-Clipper Is Still in Limbo

When Dr. William Curran operated on Clipper forward Michael Brooks’ right knee a year ago in San Diego, he found it looking like Shredded Wheat.

The anterior cruciate ligament was severely torn, and most of the lateral meniscus cartilage was floating around unattached.

Curran said he knew right away that it would be at least a year before Brooks, then the Clippers’ starting small forward, would play basketball again, and that there was a chance Brooks would never play in the NBA again.

Now, a year and a lot of therapy later, Brooks’ knee is mending but his basketball career still is in limbo. His Clipper contract ran out after last season and he is living in San Diego, probably wondering if he has a future in basketball.

“I’m sure he thinks about that,” said Curran, who said several players with similar injuries have not been able to come back.

Brooks was not available for comment, but Curran said that Brooks has been bicycling, swimming and doing special exercises to strengthen his knee and leg muscles. Brooks is even permitted to shoot baskets occasionally. Still, it may be several months before Brooks is permitted to actually play basketball.

“The last time I tested Michael was in the middle of January,” Curran said. “Our tests show that his knee we operated on is just as strong as the other knee. He’s got more motion back. But his leg muscles are woefully weak. His hamstring is just as strong as the other one, but there’s a 70% difference in the (thigh) muscles.

“He’s back into therapy for another three months. Mike has sort of gone through peaks and valleys. But he’s much more optimistic now than a year ago.”

Curran said that Brooks, who averaged 14 points a game in his four seasons with the Clippers, experienced mostly valleys in the first few months after the operation.

“He first got into physical therapy, but he became depressed and angry because his progress was slow,” Curran said. “He got upset at the world. He missed appointments and he was hard to get hold of.”

Even if Brooks progresses enough to return next season, the Clippers may not be interested. After all, they have two quality small forwards in Marques Johnson and Junior Bridgeman, as well as reserve Rory White.

“Michael obviously wants to play,” Curran said. “But you don’t want to rush somebody back too soon from this type of injury. It takes at least a year, physically and mentally, to recover.”

In what could become a seasonal ritual, the Atlanta Hawks signed veteran guard Charlie Criss to a 10-day contract Feb. 4. He is replacing guard Eddie Johnson, who was put on the injured list with strained ligaments in his right ankle.

A year earlier, to the day, the Hawks signed the 5-foot 8-inch Criss to a 10-day contract to replace Johnson, who then had a sprained ankle.

Criss, 35, had been the analyst on televised Hawk games and will return to that once Johnson comes back. Criss played seven years in the NBA after having spent five years in the Continental Basketball Assn.

Asked if he’d had second thoughts about signing Criss, Atlanta General Manager Stan Kasten said: “Phil Niekro (who is 45) is still playing and Charlie isn’t much older than that. Why not?”

After watching the explosive combination of the Lakers’ Magic Johnson and Houston’s Ralph Sampson dismantle the East Sunday in the All-Star game, you had to wonder how strong the Lakers would be if they had Sampson.

Three years ago, you may recall, Sampson indicated that he would declare his eligibility for the NBA draft if he were guaranteed that he would be drafted by the Lakers. The Lakers and the then-San Diego Clippers had the first two picks.

Sampson didn’t want to risk the coin flip, though, and chose to stay at Virginia for his senior year.

Johnson said: “I would have to think, in my own mind, that (Sampson) would be much better if he played with me. I think a lot of times you have to know when to give it to him and when not to. Anytime you have a big man around the basket, you throw it up there because he will get it. He will make you look good, too.”

They looked great Sunday. Johnson scored 21 points and had 15 assists, and Sampson scored 24 points.

Last add All-Star game: Philadelphia’s Julius Erving said on CBS’ pregame show that the All-Star game had become as big as the Super Bowl.

Erving didn’t mean the game itself. He was talking about the hype surrounding it.

In the last two years, the NBA has turned a three-hour game into three-day event, thanks to the slam-dunk contest and the old-timers’ game.

“We used to just fly in and play the game,” said Erving. He wasn’t complaining, though. He said he enjoys all the attention.