Von Wafer Update
I feel guilty. At one point this blog was the spot for news about Laker basketball player Von Wafer, but I haven't mentioned the guy in months. Let me rectify this:
Lakers second-round pick Von Wafer, the former Florida State guard who clocked Heat guard Dorell Wright with an elbow to the face during summer league, has been cited by coach Phil Jackson as a candidate for NBA Development League seasoning.
And, from Hawaii:
The Lakers have 20 players in camp this week: Corie Blount, Tony Bobbitt, Kwame Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Will Conroy, Brian Cook, Vlade Divac, Devean George, Devin Green, Jumaine Jones, Aaron McKie, Stanislav Medvedenko, Chris Mihm, Lamar Odom, William "Smush" Parker, Laron Profit, Sasha Vujacic, Von Wafer and Luke Walton.
Among the assistant coaches helping the Lakers this week are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Scottie Pippen, Kurt Rambis and Brian Shaw.
Well, Von Wafer will be remembered for one thing:
Second-year [Miami Heat] guard Dorell Wright also enters camp in recovery mode. In his case, though, the pain figures to increase before it is eliminated.
Wright took an elbow to the face from Lakers rookie guard Von Wafer during the third game of the Heat's July summer league in Long Beach, Calif. Since then, the 19-year-old has been in the midst of major dental reconstruction.
"It's going to take about nine or 10 months until it's fixed," he said. "It's a whole big procedure."
Wright said he needs at least three surgeries to his upper jaw, "to get the bone constructed, get an implant and screws put in and taken out."
The 2004 first-round pick plans to remain with the team throughout the treatment cycle and has been a regular at pre-camp workouts, drawing praise from guard Dwyane Wade.
"I can still play," Wright said, "but I'll be out for three or four days after each surgery."
Well, Von Wafer had better hope he's in a development league before the Heat play the Lakers. You don't need the Big Aristotle gunning for you on the court.
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