Michael Jordan's Surgeon to Examine Samuels

Thu, Jan 30, '03

The Caribbean's most controversial knee will be examined by the surgeon who operated on the knee of the world's greatest basketball player.

Sources tell CaribbeanCricket.com that Washington Wizards team doctor Stephen Haas will examine the cranky knee of Jamaican batsman Marlon Samuels in the U.S. next Tuesday, the day after the first round Carib Beer Cup match ends.

Dr. Haas, who found and repaired torn cartilage in Michael Jordan's right knee last February, will examine Samuels' left knee in Washington, D.C. to offer a second opinion on the extent of the injury which ruled the 22-year-old out of the West Indies squad for the World Cup.

Dr. Haas, who also serves as team physicians for the Washington Mystics (WNBA) and Washington Capitals (NHL), is known in U.S. pro sports circles as a knee specialist. In addition to Jordan, he also performed knee surgery on centre Jahidi White last August to repair a tendon in his left knee. Dr. Haas widely regarded as an expert is sports medicine and a sports-related injuries.

West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) doctor Ashkai Mansingh has already recommended surgery that includes possible bone grafting and hinted the batsman could be out of action for an entire year but Samuels insists there is nothing horribly wrong with the knee.

The board has arranged for Samuels to meet with renowned physician, New York-based Dr Ainsworth Allen, but Samuels declined, preferring to be examined by someone in whom he and his handlers have confidence, the source said.

"It's not that Marlon doesn't have any confidence in Dr Allen. It's just that he wants to be comfortable. And, with Dr. Haas, he feels he can be totally comfortable with any diagnosis," the source explained.

One issue still up in the air is whether Samuels will play in Friday's opening round match against the Leewards in Anguilla. He has been named in the Jamaica 13 for the game, against the wishes of the WICB but there are still strong lobbying at the highest levels for him to sit out the game.

The Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) is refusing to budge and says it will stand responsible if the batsman sustains further damage to the knee but WICB president Wes Hall is said to be working the phones to request that Samuels not play.

"It would be the quintessence of cricket stupidness for him to play," Hall told reporters.

Our sources high up in the JCA gave us the name of Dr Stephen Haas as the D.C-area doctor who will examine Samuels' knee. However, the WICB announced Thursday the examination will be done by a Dr Michael Mont, "a highly-rated knee specialist."