Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic recently began trying some light running, as he progresses to more activity so he can return to the court.
Bogdanovic suffered an avulsion fracture in his right knee against the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 9 and his work ethic has carried over to his recovery.
“Bogi never stops shooting,” said head coach Lloyd Pierce. “… He shoots in chairs, he shoots with the brace on, he shoots with the brace off, he does ball-handling and passing drills in chairs. He does it with the brace on, he does it with the brace off. One thing you’ll never have to worry about with Bogi is him shooting and getting shots up. He’s obviously out of the brace. He’s doing what he’s capable of doing and what he’s allowed to do. But you won’t find Bogi not working.”
Bogdanovic’s injury didn’t require surgery and if it was up to him if he was healthy enough, he would play before the end of the first half of the season.
The Hawks’ last game of the first half of the season is against the Orlando Magic on March 3.
“I hope I can, I was looking at a calendar and watching the games and how many games we have left on the schedule, so anything before All-Star would be really good for me, but I don’t want to put the pressure on it,” he said. “But I would like to play before the All-Star (break), if it was me, and if my body heals up.”
Team doctors are taking X-rays of his knee every week to check his progress and he has leaned on the Hawks’ training staff to help him through his rehab.
“It’s a process of getting on the court, getting contact in practice, playing with the guys a little bit, a couple practices, so it’s a process,” said Bogdanovic. “… What I expect, I don’t know how my body will react and we’ll just follow the processes, nothing else. … The whole team here, they’re really on it. And they’re really serious about it and they want me to be healed as best as I can, and they want me healed 100% and in good time, as well.”
