Former UConn Husky star Shabazz Napier has gone through a tumultuous season with the Miami Heat. He had early season success and then he was lost for a little bit, shuffled between starting, a bench role and he even got sent down to the D-League.
Now it appears that his rookie season will come to an end a little early. Exactly what the Heat and their fans didn’t want to hear.
Following from an official Miami Heat press release.
The Miami HEAT announced today that guard Shabazz Napier underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia. The procedure was performed by Dr. David Edelman at Doctors Hospital in Miami this morning. He will miss the remainder of the regular season.
Napier has appeared in 51 games (10 starts) this season for the HEAT averaging 5.1 points, 2.5 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 19.8 minutes. He previously scored in double-figures in six-straight games this season from November 16 through November 25, marking the longest such streak by a HEAT rookie since Michael Beasley accomplished the feat in eight consecutive games from April 1, 2009 through April 15, 2009.
Napier’s season ending early is bad news for this Heat team who is at the point where they need bodies more than anything. Guys have gone down left and right all season long from Josh McRoberts to Chris Bosh and now with Napier, it’s getting to the point where it’s not a good trend for the Heat. Especially right now when they battle for their playoff lives with a depleted roster, you have to imagine that Dwyane Wade will have to turn the clock back and elevate his play higher than ever before this season. Missing game for D-Wade might not be an option anymore.
