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Louisville’s Kevin Ware undergoes successful two-hour procedure on fractured leg

Duke v Louisville

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 31: (Clockwise from top C) Peyton Siva #3 and Russ Smith #2 of the Louisville Cardinals hold the hand of teammate Kevin Ware #5 after Ware suffered a compound fracture of his leg iin the first half against the Duke Blue Devils uring the Midwest Regional Final round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 31, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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According to a release from the school, Louisville sophomore guard Kevin Ware underwent a successful two-hour surgical procedure on his fractured right leg.

Ware suffered the injury when he landed awkwardly after challenging a Tyler Thornton jumper with 6:33 remaining in the first half of the Cardinals’ 85-63 win over Duke in the Midwest regional final.

Ware will remain at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis until at least Tuesday, and the school is hopeful that he can travel with the team to next weekend’s Final Four in Atlanta (Ware finished his high school career at Rockdale County HS in Conyers, Ga.).

Ware had the bone re-set, the wound from the injury closed and a rod inserted in his right tibia during approximately two hours of surgery.

Ware will remain in Indianapolis until at least Tuesday, when he is hopeful to return to Louisville and then join the Cardinals as they advance to the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta. A timetable has not been set for a return to basketball competition.


How long the recovery process will be for Ware is unknown at this stage.

But according to Dr. Frederick Azar, a spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and chief of staff at Cambell Clinic in Memphis, recovery can take anywhere from three to six months provided there are no complications.

[Louisville head coach Rick] Pitino told reporters that Ware would be out of commission for a year, but Azar said that if surgery went well and there were no nerve complications or infections, the young, healthy player could be back on the court in time for next season, or within six months.

Head coach Rick Pitino and son Richard, who just completed his first season as head coach at FIU after being an assistant on his father’s staff, will visit with Ware tonight and early Monday morning according to multiple reports.

Raphielle also writes for the NBE Basketball Report and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.