One of the brightest young talents the New York Knicks have in their organization, Cleanthony Early, almost had his NBA career come to an end in one night. Early was the victim of a robbery and shooting outside of a Queens strip club in New York.
Early has been released from the hospital and while his injuries aren’t considered to be career or life threatening, he will be forced to miss some time on the basketball court.
Following from Yahoo! Sports Shams Charania.
After sustaining a gun-shot wound to his right knee early Wednesday in a targeted robbery, New York Knicks forward Cleanthony Early underwent MRI and X-ray exams that revealed no structural damage or surgery required, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Early remains in New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where doctors and the New York Knicks’ training staff have worked to keep the 24-year-old’s knee from becoming infected, sources told Yahoo. Early is expected to have a cleanup of his knee and expects a full recovery, league sources said. The bullet exited Early’s leg and is not lodged in it, sources said.
Early is expected to need two to three months to recover, league sources said, with his week-to-week timetable potentially changing, depending on his rehabilitation.
The Knicks and Early’s family have been briefed on his condition, sources said.
Despite the shooting, Early has been in high spirits in the hospital and is positive about his recovery from the injury suffered, sources said.
