Derrick Coleman Has Successful Knee Surgery

Philadelphia, Pa. - June 11, 2002 - Philadelphia 76ers forward Derrick Coleman underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee at the Hospital for Special Surgery of New York in New York City. The 35-minute surgery was performed by Dr. Russell Warren, team physician for the New York Giants. Coleman is expected to return to basketball activity in three-to-four months.

“Derrick was found to have degenerative changes in the medial, or inside, compartment of his knee,” 76ers team physician Dr. Jack McPhilemy said. “According to Dr. Warren, the ligaments in the knee looked fine and the meniscus looked fine.”

Coleman played in 58 games, starting in all 58, during the 2001-02 season and averaged 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds, ranking him second on the team in both categories. The 6-10 forward missed 21 games due to injury this season, including 13 games with a hyperextended left knee originally sustained at Toronto on Nov. 25, 2001.