Houston Rockets guard Steve Francis will undergo season-ending surgery in order to repair a torn quadriceps tendon in his right knee. Francis has been sidelined with the injury since 12/19/07. The surgery will be performed during the week of 2/25 by Dr. Walter Lowe.

After battling through increasing knee discomfort in mid-December, Francis immediately began a rehabilitation program focused on reducing the pain in the joint. An MRI performed on 1/3/08 at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center revealed additional damage. The decision to proceed with a surgical repair of the tendon was reached after consulting with a variety of medical specialists that include: Rockets Team Physician Tom Clanton, Dr. Richard Steadman and Dr. Ben Shaffer.

"After extensive non-operative treatment of his quadriceps tendon tear, it became apparent to Steve and the medical staff that surgery was the only remaining alternative that offered the hope of relieving his pain and potentially allowing him to resume his basketball career,” said Clanton.

Francis, a nine-year NBA veteran, began his second stint with the Rockets after signing with the team as a free agent on 7/20/07. In 10 games (with three starts) Francis averaged 5.5 points, 3.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds this season prior to his injury.

“It is obviously disappointing to have my season cut short by this injury,” said Francis. “The opportunity to come back and help the Rockets compete for a championship this season was very special to me. Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with this injury for the better part of three seasons going back to my days in New York. I am glad to know that we have identified the source of the problem and I’m looking forward to getting the operation over with so that I can start my rehab and prepare for next season.”

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