The men’s basketball team was dealt a hard blow today when it was announced that senior D’Andre Bell will miss the 2008-09 season due to a congenital condition known as spinal stenosis. The condition was discovered when Bell was taken to Emory Orthopedic and Spine Center after hitting his head on a teammate’s leg while diving for a loose ball during conditioning drills. After the collision, Bell said that he felt numbness in his extremities.
Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord. The stenosis is located in the cervical portion of Bell’s spine. He will need surgery to correct the problem.
“It hurts not to be able to play,” said Bell. “But I know God has a plan for me, and I need to do what is best for my future.”
The Yellow Jackets will miss Bell’s defensive presence on the court and leadership off it. Bell, who was slated to be the team captain, averaged 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last year and has played in 88 games in three seasons for the Yellow Jackets. Bell also provided depth in the backcourt. It is not known at this point if Bell will take a medical redshirt.
Crosskey can be reached at jcrosskey@scoreatl.com.
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