Josh Newkirk had knee surgery last week.
Pitt guard Josh Newkirk, who averaged 5.9 points and was second on the team with 93 assists last season, is expected to be out four to six months after having surgery to correct damage in his left knee, coach Jamie Dixon said Wednesday.
Team physician Dr. Bryson Lesniak performed the surgery last week. It involved repairing Newkirk’s lateral meniscus and a micro fracture on the outside part of his knee.
“We expect Josh to make a full recovery and rejoin his teammates for the upcoming 2015-16 season,” Dixon said. “He’ll start summer school on Monday. The surgery was a success, and we know that Josh will work hard during the rehabilitation period.”
I remain continually amazed at the ability of the Pitt athletic department to keep information so tight.
Knee surgery that has a player out for at least four months was performed last week, and it only gets disseminated yesterday?
Lacking in the news is when/how the injury occurred. It leaves you with the idle speculation as to whether he suffered the injury sometime around or after the Boston College game in January. Was that why his shot went south so badly? Why it seemed he couldn’t get to the basket so swiftly? Why he looked so unsure, lacking in confidence and a complete liability in the final weeks of the season?
I don’t know. Hopefully someone will ask Jamie Dixon the next time he does some media rounds.
The surgery ends all empty speculation as to whether Newkirk would be transferring. The question now becomes more along the lines of whether he ends up redshirting next year.
At this point, I would guess not. The backcourt at this point consists of:
James Robinson
Damon Wilson
Sterling Smith
Cameron Johnson
There is still room with that rotation for Newkirk.
The only way that equation changes is if Sterling Gibbs picks Pitt. The erstwhile Seton Hall player, and brother of Ashton Gibbs, completed his visit to Pitt and is now taking in Ohio State.
Gibbs has Pitt in a group of six that also includes UConn, Baylor, OSU, VCU and NC State. (UConn still seems like the favorite, but I just don’t want to see him end up at NC State. Trevor Lacey, Beejay Anya and Linnard Freeman were enough in the last two years.)
I did get a kick out of the quote from his father about deciding.
“I’m hoping [he decides] soon,” Temple said. “I can’t say a timetable, but I’m hoping soon.”
Asked what they would be looking for in a new school, Temple said, “We only have one year, it’s gotta be a great fit for him. We can’t make a mistake on this.”
The comedy comes from Sterling’s rather vagabond college career. He initially committed to Maryland, only to get his release from the Terps after Gary Williams retired and Mark Turgeon was hired. He made a quick decision to head to Texas. That lasted one season. Gibbs decided to transfer, and opted to go back to New Jersey with Seton Hall. After sitting out the requisite year, he played the last two for the Pirates before having enough of that drama. Ultimately, this will be his 4th school in five years.
Forget basketball, Sterling Gibbs is destined to join the Pitt football team somehow.
Sort of seals Pitt’s and Dixon’s chances. 🙁
If we had 2 Sterlings in the backcourt…….
we could than sit Robinson or limit Pet’s minutes.
And that would be Golden (or mustard yellow) !!
Hope JN heals well
A redshirt wouldn’t hurt JN. I like JN and glad he is staying.
Wishing him a speedy recovery.
Had a major family issue with Mom’s health. Blatherites, Tell everyone close to you how much you love them. Please Pray for my Mom if you don’t mind. You guys are like my semi family anyway. Thank You.
Prayers are on the way.
I understand what you’re going through. My dad passed away last year and my mom has Parkinson’s. It’s rough. My thoughts and prayers are with you, buddy.
Was in ministry for 25 years. Praying for her during this Mother’s Day week. God bless!
Your mom is on our prayer list buddy. I expect her to do great things as she continues her remarkable journey. Keep the faith!
God bless your mom.
Glad to see he’s earning a living doing what he knows and presumably loves. Not sure how much of a living arena football earns, but has to be better than McDonald’s.
Many times I’ve said I spend more time with Blatherites than my own family….and often more emotions.
I lost my mom when I was 22. She was my best friend and the bravest person I ever knew. Her strongest goal, to see her son graduate from Pitt, the first ever. In her family to graduate from college, was realized with 8 months to spare.
I am 15 years into my second marriage and watched my wife go thru the loss of her mom last year…a difficult and long process. She often asked me if I would have wanted to watch my mom go through this. I said, I would have given anything for even one more minute with her. Hope you keep this in mind as you enter this new journey.
Other the Pitt Sports, I have devoted my retired life to choral music. I sing, direct and occasionally compose. Pursuing my Masters in the Fall.
A piece we are looking to perform next Spring is a chorale in 3 movements entitled “Alzheimer’s…a journey”. We are inviting patients, caregivers, and all involved to attend. It will be in Baltimore and I will make sure you get an invitation.
Not the casino trip we were planning, but it’ll do.
Take care and huge Blessings and prayers from Dan 72
1st time checking in on The Blather all day. More days than not I end and start my day with this board.
Sorry to hear that man. I lost my mom completely unexpectedly a little over 3yrs ago. Your mom is in for a fight. Stay strong and keep her strong. Make this Sunday that much more special.
It’s funny after losing my mom it made Pitt football and hoops that much more significant to me. Pitt and the Buccos is such a bond me, my dad, and brother share. Cherish every second with people you love…
I don’t know if it is any comfort, but as a parent I just hope that I leave this place in the right “order”, parent before child. I think most would feel the same.
Make that extra trip or two that you might have put off and cherish every minute with her. If she’s anything like you, ALS is in for a kick-ass fight with her.
She died in November, but in January of that year, I was let go from my job (me and about 2500 others) due to a merger. AS it turned out, it was a blessing in disguise because for over 7 months I was able to spend more time with my mom than I was than since I was young. And even though there were some very tough moments, I appreciated every bit of time I spent with her.
That’s my only advice to you … whether it’s talking on the phone or being with her … cherish every moment.
Needless to say after the recent diagnosis, but make sure your Mom makes the most of everyday. Life is made worth living because we all realize that it is a finite experience to begin with, although we all seem to ignore that obvious fact until it’s thrust into our faces by such an experience that your family is now dealing with.
Hope your Mom is still feeling well enough to get down to the work at hand of dealing with those really important priorities that have been relegated to the “to do list” at sometime in the future.
Lost both my Mom and Dad decades ago, my Mom died regretting not accomplishing some things that we’re very important to her but left undone. Encourage your Mom that her future is now and empower her to accomplish those unmet goals that she can now. A diagnosis is just that, tomorrow life goes on for Mom. Enjoy it and Mother’s Day the day after that, etc., etc, etc.
I’m sure that this Mother’s Day will the best one that your family has ever celebrated. Enjoy it Upitt’s Mom!
I lost my Dad when I was 13 and my Mother, after a long illness where I was basically her caretaker, at age 19. That isn’t an easy thing to do and it was rough for me for some time. But I look back on it as just part of my life that made me stronger and made me what I have been and am today. Same thing is happening for you right now, it sucks at the time but will all be a memory that you’ll smile about in the future.
You’ll get through this and start burning up that telephone line to your Mom even if you think she’s sick of your voice.
Keep in there my friend,
Reed
prayers
Griogar – post more often, everyone has valuable things to say on here. Even Dr. Tom.
I lost my mother 2 years ago on May 13th.
Truly wish the best for her. God Bless !
Hang in there bro !
Sorry to hear of your Mom, and your divorce. Hang in there, just like PITT, we pray for better days for you and your family.
And to all Blatherites, Happy Mother’s Day to our Moms, both living and those living in our heart and memories!
Hail to PITT!
-Al-
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the Blatherite family moms!!!
Thoughts are with you and your mom and daughter.
Learned at a very early age that life can be fragile and fleeting. We can only be our best and do our best.
Good luck.
As you can read, we will also be covering you, your mom and family with our prayers.
Make this a great Mother’s Day weekend! I know I will, and my mom passed away five years ago…
Wearing my Pitt Hat through ACC land. Leaving New Smyrna beach for Key West. Traveling with an old buddy from Pitt and hanging with another one here. My son, a Pitt Engineer is going to marry a PSU grad in Key West next Saturday. Pray for me too. Her dad is also a PSU grad.
Need a Pat signal!
In my opinion, the most important guard listed above is Wilson, due to his potential and the possibility of him being with us for 4 yrs. Does anyone know WHEN we will get some closure regarding his qualification?