NBA hopeful and University of Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. is watching his draft stock soar. However, not without questions regarding his health. Porter suffered a disc injury in his first collegiate game and subsequently underwent surgery. Let’s take a closer at his specific case:
In general, a microdiscectomy is very effective at treating herniated discs and relieving pressure on one or more of the spinal nerves in the spine.
From the standpoint of the surgery, most players are able to make a full recovery. The biggest risk is a recurrent disc herniation, with a risk of about 5%. There is nothing about a straightforward microdiscectomy that should prevent Porter from returning to the court.
Of note, the L3/4 disc may be a source of future issues in his back as he gets older, but this is difficult to predict.
