In what was an unfortunate turn of events, former Philadelphia 76ers guard Gerald Henderson announced that he may miss all of next season recovering from hip surgery.
Gerald Henderson made a lot of sacrifices last season, something many Philadelphia 76ers fans tend to overlook. He joined a young roster without much hope for contention, all while willingly sharing the load with younger pieces like Nik Stauskas and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.
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That’s why this news hit especially hard:
"“Despite receiving genuine interest from several NBA teams, I have made the decision to continue to evaluate surgical options on my left hip. I have been playing through severe pain that has made it difficult to play to the best of my ability. Now the pain has started to impact my everyday life off the court.” — Henderson, via HoopsHype"
Henderson, for all the heat he took over his shot selection, was likely the best non-Robert Covington wing on the Sixers’ roster last season. He was their best 3-point shooter and a legitimate iso-threat, something they didn’t really have outside of Embiid.
There were times where Henderson would channel his tunnel vision a bit too much, but that shouldn’t overshadow the impact he had throughout the campaign — especially during the Sixers’ stellar first half.
The injury also appears to be more severe than simple hip surgery. Not only is it likely a season-ending endeavor, but he noted pain that was “ his everyday life.” That’s not only a bad sign, but a genuinely disheartening comment.
Casual fans tend to ignore the rigors that every NBA player goes through. Intensive workouts and highly physical basketball games can do a number on any player’s body, and Henderson has already been dealing with hip issues in the past.
If he continues to have pain the persists outside of the basketball realm, that feels more like a resolution to retirement than something he — or any other player — would be able to overcome. It’s bad luck more so than anything else.
At this point, the hope is that Henderson recovers fully from his surgery. The rehab will obviously be long, but if it’s able to fix the nagging issues he has dealt with, that could end up prolonging his career. The base hope, however, is that this doesn’t mean the end of Henderson’s quietly-successful career.
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Still just 29 years of age, Henderson was a calming presence in the locker room and somebody the Sixers were obviously thrilled to have on the roster. Seeing these issues continuing to manifest is a real bummer.