Tisdale being treated for cancer

BY BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Friday, March 30, 2007
3/30/07 at 10:04 AM

A broken right leg led to discovery of malignant tumor

Former basketball great Wayman Tisdale is being treated for cancer in his right leg.

"It's very treatable, but it's a long treatment -- six months of treatment," Tisdale said by telephone from his Tulsa home.

The 42-year-old Tisdale also has a home in Los Angeles, and it was there that he broke his leg on Feb. 8. He said he was injured while going down a flight of stairs. During treatment, doctors discovered a malignant mass immediately below the knee.

In May, Tisdale is scheduled to undergo knee-replacement surgery in Tulsa. He said the knee joint deteriorated because of the presence of the tumor. He also said doctors have indicated that he does not have bone cancer. Tisdale said the tumor is within the tissue near the knee.

If not for the injury, the tumor might have gone undetected for several months. "It's just one of those bad deals, you know," Tisdale said. "But I actually thank God for the broken leg."

Tisdale said he expects "a com plete recovery" and has been told that the cancerous cells are confined to the spot near the knee.

Next week, Tisdale is scheduled for the first of several chemotherapy sessions that will precede the knee-replacement surgery. He said there will be more chemotherapy after the knee joint is replaced.

"All is well. Thank God it was detected and it's treatable. We expect a 110 percent recovery," said Fred Jones, who is among Tisdale's closest friends.

Tisdale and Jones have been associates in the music business and were teammates on the 1981 and 1982 Booker T. Washington High School basketball teams.

Tisdale signed with the University of Oklahoma in 1982 and was a three-time All-American.

The Olympic gold-medal winner also had a 12-year NBA career.

A jazz bassist, Tisdale is an award-winning musician who has recorded seven albums. He and his wife, Regina, have four children.

Bill Haisten 581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com

TISDALE QUICK BIO

Born June 1964 in Fort Worth, Texas.

An All-State performer at Booker T. Washington. Averaged 18.8 points and 12 rebounds as a junior and led the Hornets to a state title. As a senior, averaged 23.7 points and 11.8 rebounds.

At Oklahoma, was a threetime first-team All-American. Is the Sooners' all-time leader in scoring and field goal percentage.

Was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team in 1984.

Played 12 NBA seasons with Indiana (1985-89), Sacramento (1989-94) and Phoenix (1994-97).

As a musician, has had four albums on the Top 10 of Billboard Magazine's contemporary jazz chart. His 2001 release, "Face to Face," climbed to No. 1.

Associated Images:

Wayman Tisdale (left)
Says he expects “a complete recovery” after cancerous cells were found near his knee.