| | SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Elliott said Thursday that he hopes to be playing again soon after doctors have given him clearance to play, five months after having a kidney transplant.
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Elliott attended Spurs practice Thursday at the Alamodome.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says he plans to meet with Elliott's
doctors soon to discuss the player's health and get the official medical clearance.
Elliott underwent the transplant Aug. 16, 1999, when he received an organ donated by his brother, Noel Elliott.
"We perform transplants to allow people to have as normal a
life a possible and basketball was Sean's normal career," said Dr.
Francis Wright, transplant surgeon at the Methodist Specialty and
Transplant Hospital in San Antonio, in a written statement. He and
kidney physician Dr. John Reineck cleared Elliott to play.
"The possibility of an injury to the transplant kidney is small
and it's well-protected by a thick layer of muscle," Wright said.
Elliott, 31, says his recovery went much quicker than expected and that his stamina is back. Elliott last month spent several days in a San Antonio hospital
with a bout of the flu.
He's been serving as a color commentator for Spurs telecasts.
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