Updated: BTW, OU star Wayman Tisdale has part of leg amputated
BY BILL HAISTEN, World sports writer
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
8/26/08 at 11:21 PM
Wayman Tisdale, a Tulsa basketball legend who last year was diagnosed as having bone cancer, had a section of his right leg amputated at an Oklahoma City hospital on Monday.
On Tuesday, his wife, Regina confirmed to the Associated Press that the surgery had occurred and that “everything went well” for the 44-year-old Tisdale, a former Booker T. Washington and University of Oklahoma superstar.
Before the surgery, Tisdale posted a message on his Web site (waymantisdale.com).
“The procedure will remove the lower part of my right leg,” Tisdale wrote. “This may sound drastic, but I have put it in God’s hands and now have peace, knowing that this is the best way to put this disease in check.”
An award-winning jazz musician, Tisdale indicated that he intends to resume touring and performing in a matter of weeks.
While Tisdale was treated for a broken leg sustained at his Los Angeles home in February 2007, the cancer was detected. Three months later, he underwent knee-replacement surgery in Tulsa.
At Booker T. Washington, Tisdale and the Hornets captured the 1981 Class 5A state championship. As a senior in 1981-82, he averaged 23.7 points and 11.8 rebounds. The 6-foot-9 Tisdale signed with the University of Oklahoma and was a three-time All-American with the Sooners.
Before Tisdale, no freshman had been a first-team All-American. He remains OU’s all-time leader in scoring and field goal percentage.
In 1984, he was a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic basketball team.
Tisdale played 12 NBA seasons with Indiana (1985-89), Sacramento (1989-94) and Phoenix (1994-97). Wayman and Regina Tisdale are the parents of four children.
During a June interview with the AP, Tisdale said that while recording his eighth and most recent album, “Rebound,” he was inspired by his fight against cancer. His 2001 release, “Face to Face,” ascended to No. 1 on Billboard Magazine’s contemporary jazz chart.
To see Tisdale's statement, see tulsaworld.com/tisdale.
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Associated Images:
Wayman Tisdale performs at Mayfest in 2007. The former Sooner star has bone cancer and had part of his leg amputated on Monday.
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