| | Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Gheorghe Muresan's talk about
growing seems ludicrous.
After all, he's 7-foot-7 and can dunk by merely standing under
the basket and jumping to allow a smidgen of air and light under
his size 20 sneakers.
But Muresan isn't talking about growing upward. The New Jersey
Nets' center is referring to a pinched nerve in his lower back, the
one that limited him to a minute of playing time last season.
The injury, which happened two seasons ago, was originally
misdiagnosed as a sprained tendon in his right ankle. Surgery in
June 1998 decompressed the nerve and gave it space to grow.
So, the NBA's tallest man has been recovering for the last 16
months, and it's been agonizingly slow, one millimeter a day.
That's the amount the nerve regenerates, said Dr. Raymond Reiter of
the Nets.
"If you're 5-foot-2, it doesn't take as long," Reiter said.
"Gheorghe is 7-7, it's going to take a couple of years to totally
regenerate."
While he still can't stand on his toes and he continues to run
flat footed, Muresan is back on the court getting ready for his
first full season since '97-98, when he was with Washington.
"I do what I love," Muresan said with a thick Eastern European
accent that is reminiscent of an actor portraying Dracula. "I love
basketball. For me, basketball is fun."
The 28-year-old Muresan has been a breath of fresh air in the
Nets' training camp, averaging 13.8 minutes, 6.3 points, 3.8
rebounds and a block in four exhibition games. He works hard and
always seems to have a smile.
That's never more evident than at practice. His work ethic is
impeccable and nothing pleases him more than blocking a shot or
scoring and then consoling the victim.
"He is such a wonderful person," Nets general manager John
Nash said. "He is really the most enjoyable player that I have
ever had to deal with. He loves the game. He is very appreciative
of anything you can do for him. He works his tail off and he just
wants to be treated as a basketball player."
Muresan attracts attention wherever he goes, in part because
he's also an actor who starred with Billy Crystal in the movie "My
Giant."
"He's a star," Nets forward Keith Van Horn said. "Not just a
basketball star, he's a star, star. He's a celebrity. Regardless of
whether he plays another game, when he walks in a room, people will
float to him."
When healthy, Muresan can be a force on the court. From November
1994 to spring 1997, he averaged about 11 points, eight rebounds
and two blocks per game for Washington.
The Nets need that kind of play this year with the career of
former All Star center Jayson Williams in doubt. He broke his leg
and tore up his knee on April 1 and is not expected on the court
until January at the earliest.
Willis Reed, the Nets senior vice president and a Hall of Famer,
said Muresan's shortcomings are overshadowed by his presence under
the basket.
"Basically, teams do no get easy baskets on us," Reed said.
"That's going to give us a chance to win some games."
Muresan is not without offense, Reed said, citing an Oct. 12
exhibition win against the Atlanta Hawks.
Muresan came off the bench in the second quarter with the Nets
behind. He scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds in seven
minutes.
"The back is very, very good, strong," said Muresan, who
spends about 45 minutes after each practice with bags of ice on his
back.
But at times it appears that Muresan might not make it through
the season. Running up and down the court seems to be a struggle
for him, and jumping -- if you can call it that -- often brings a
pained look to his face.
"You can say I took a chance, but I know the guy," Nash said,
who signed Muresan to a one-year contract for $635,000 in May. "I
know he didn't sign this contract to sit on the bench and collect a
lot of money. He wants to play and earn respect of his teammates
and his opponents. More important, he wants to earn a contract
commensurate with what he does."
Muresan will be entering his fifth full NBA season. He was
drafted in the second round by Washington in 1993 when Nash was the
general manager there. Again a medical issue scared off other
teams.
"The problem was Gheorghe has been diagnosed with a tumor on
his pituitary gland, which was the reason for his unusual size,"
Nash said. "The tumor caused an excessive amount of growth hormone
in his system, which caused his body to react to it."
At the time, the tumor was growing and encroaching on Muresan's
optic nerve. It would have caused vision problems if not removed.
Washington went ahead and drafted Muresan and the rest is
history, although Nash loves telling stories about the Romanian's
first few years in the United States.
There was the day he bought a purple suit, which caused
teammates to call him Barney, and there are recollections of
Muresan trying to get his driver's license.
"I think in Romania they are a little more liberal in the way
they grant licenses," Nash said. "Gheorghe was probably more
suited for bumper cars."
Muresan also has a great sense of humor.
Nash remembers that someone once remarked how Muresan made
running the floor look like work.
Muresan's comeback?
"In Romania, you are happy to work," Nash recalled.
Now, Muresan is just happy to be playing again. | |
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