RHJ rushes to consult Nets doc

MANILA, Philippines — Rondae Hollis-Jefferson left Manila on a flight to New York yesterday afternoon and will consult orthopedic surgeon Dr. Martin O’Malley on how to deal with the right Achilles tendon rupture he suffered landing on 7-6 Sam Deguara’s foot during Meralco’s 93-91 win over Macau in an EASL Group B game in Ilagan, Isabela, last weekend.

RHJ didn’t waste any time flying out and will likely undergo surgery by Dr. O’Malley whom he met while playing for the Brooklyn Nets. Dr. O’Malley is with the Nets medical staff and is the foot/ankle consultant for the New York Knicks. He has operated on over 150 pro athletes, including Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum who went down with an Achilles tendon rupture like RHJ.

RHJ’s departure deals a severe blow to the Bolts’ EASL campaign. But the consolation is Meralco’s next EASL game won’t be until Feb. 11 in San Fernando, Pampanga, against Ryukyu so there’s time to find a suitable replacement. Without RHJ, the Bolts can still rely on Justin Brownlee, Puerto Rico naturalized player Ismael Romero and Asian heritage import Sina Vahedi. Meralco isn’t the only team affected by RHJ’s injury. TNT had contracted RHJ to be its resident import for the coming PBA Commissioner’s and Governors Cups so the Tropang 5G will now book a replacement.

“Rondae is a great person and has been an incredible teammate,” said Trillo. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and our focus now is on his immediate treatment and recovery. The Meralco Bolts are deeply grateful to Rondae for his contributions on and off the court. We believe in his resilience and are confident that he will overcome this challenge and return stronger. The Meralco organization is here to support him every step of the way.”

The usual recovery period for an Achilles rupture is eight to 10 months so it’ll be a wait for RHJ to return on the court. A name that has cropped up as a possible replacement is prospective Gilas naturalized player Bennie Boatwright, now seeing action in Taiwan. “That’s a name,” said Trillo, “we’ll discuss with our staff.”