Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr. hasn’t even started his second season yet, and he already has undergone two surgeries.
But the 2018 first-round pick said he’s in good spirits after having surgery Tuesday to repair a tear in his lower abdomen.
Even though he’s missing the Summer League and his basketball-related activities will be limited for the rest of the summer, Carter’s happy he’ll head into the season with his setbacks behind him.
”I just give all the glory to God to allow me to get surgeries and know that I’m going to come back stronger, faster and better,” Carter said at the Sky game Friday. “I’m a competitor. I really hate not playing, but I know in the long run it’s going to be beneficial.”
Carter said his recovery should take five to six weeks, ending well in advance of the start of training camp in late September.
He said the core injury had bothered him since he was 15 or 16 years old. Carter doesn’t remember a specific incident causing the injury, but after playing with it for so long, he couldn’t take the pain anymore.
”Just from a lateral standpoint, it didn’t allow me to use all parts of me,” Carter said. “With it being repaired, I should come back stronger, faster and more flexible. I would always feel it when I went side to side, but I should be better now.”
Carter’s rookie season was limited to 44 games after he tore ligaments in his left hand during a game against the Lakers on Jan. 15.
He had surgery and missed the rest of the season, finishing his promising rookie year with averages of 10.3 points, seven rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 25.2 minutes.
Carter said he’s focused on trying to make up for the lost time he could’ve spent developing.
