Jalen Hood-Schifino undergoes lumbar microdiscectomy back surgery
The Lakers announced on Thursday that rookie guard Jalen Hood-Schifino underwent lumbar microdiscectomy back surgery.
Jalen Hood-Schifino’s rookie season has had another bump in the road as the Lakers announced on Thursday that he had undergone back surgery. The exact surgery was a lumbar microdiscectomy and the timetable for his return was not provided.
The Lakers say that rookie guard Jalen Hood-Schifino underwent successful back surgery -- lumbar microdiscectomy -- on Thursday. No time table for recovery was provided.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 21, 2024
Jalen Hood-Schifino’s procedure involved a bulging disk in his back being shaved, a source familiar with the injury told ESPN. The Lakers expect the 20-year-old guard to make a full recovery in the offseason.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 21, 2024
Back injuries aren’t new for JHS. It’s something he dealt with in high school and college, keeping him out for about two-and-a-half weeks early in the regular season. This season, JHS briefly dealt with back spasms in a game against the Mavericks in mid-December.
The injury, though, didn’t bother him outside of that this season, at least in terms of leading to him being on the injury report. A quick Google search offers some insight on the procedure and people often go back to work within weeks. I’m certainly not trying to offer insight into the surgery or offer any timeline — our own Dr. Rajpal Brar will be doing that soon — but it doesn’t seem to be a procedure with a long recovery time.
It hasn’t exactly been the perfect rookie season for JHS. After being selected No. 17 overall, he has played in just 21 games and is averaging only 5.2 minutes per contest. He hasn’t played in double-figure minutes since Nov. 30.
He has found a lot more success in the G League this season, particularly of late. Over the last eight games, he’s played 39.7 minutes and averaged 25.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists. He’s shot 47.2% from the field, 45.7% from the 3-point line and 87% from the free throw line.
Ideally, Hood-Schifino will be healthy and able to return not specifically for the postseason, which would be a bonus, but in time for an offseason of work. The Summer League should be a target for JHS at the very least. And most importantly, this is hopefully something that will alleviate future issues for his back.
It hasn’t been an ideal rookie season for JHS but hopefully it’s a small setback that sets him up for a big future.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.