Junior Brandon Rush discusses knee injury
July 19, 2007
In late May, junior Brandon Rush suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. Earlier today, he met with reporters to discuss the status of the injury:
On when he realized the severity of his injury:
“It was about a week or two when I got back (to Lawrence), when I got the MRI. I didn’t know it was that serious because as soon as it happened I popped right back up and started walking on it.”
On how he suffered the injury:
“I landed wrong. I was working out, trying to stay in shape and I went up to try and dunk and I landed wrong. I tried to plant and (my knee) popped.”
On his current status:
“I can’t really do anything. I can shoot a little bit. In 12 weeks I can start running around and then I can get back and start running and jumping again. (The doctor) said he thinks I’m on track. He thinks I’m a little ahead. It felt pretty good today. Rehab went pretty well and I have another one around 1:30.”
On the prognosis:
“They said six months, December 1st. But it could go either a month ahead or a month behind. I feel pretty good about it. I’m keeping a good attitude about it, keeping my head up.”
On his rehab schedule:
“I’m in rehab from about 9 to 11. I lift weights from 12 to 1. I do some biking and then I go back to rehab again at the end of the day.”
On the possibility of him missing the start of the season:
“I still think they’re going to be great with me being out for a while. I still think they’re going to have a great team regardless of whether I start the season or not.”
On whether he can return to 100 percent again:
“I hope so. I want to come back better than last year and the year before that. They want me to work on my ball handling. I’m doing a lot of ball handling drills and a bunch of dribbling drills. I’m just trying to get my left hand back stronger than what it is.”
On his future plans to play in the NBA:
“It doesn’t affect my plans at all. I just have to look at it in a different way like this happened for a reason. So I just have to look at it that way that I just have to go through some things. I’ve never been injured before, except when I broke my arm when I was about 10 years old and that was about it.”
On the mental aspect of his rehab:
“I just got to keep my head up. My teammates help me out a lot, they’ve been there for me and saying to me `it’s going to be alright.’ I’m just about keeping a great attitude about it. These things happen for a reason, that’s what my grandma always told me.”
On the support he’s received:
“I’m really getting it from my best friend Mario (Chalmers). He’s always been there for me so he tells me the same thing, just to keep my head up and push through it, everything happens for a reason. Coach Self told me to keep my head up and keep a good attitude.”
On his timetable for returning:
“That’s the main goal for me is to try to make it (back) by the season opener so I can be out there and get some running in and get up and down the floor. But my main focus is being healthy and being 100 percent. I don’t want to go in too early if I’m not ready.”
