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Eye surgery won't slow Wildcat

Eye surgery won't slow Wildcat

High-profile Perth Wildcats import DeAndre Daniels has undergone surgery to halt significant deterioration in his eyesight.

The NBA prospect is expected to make a gradual recovery over the next month and could return to the practice court as early as next week.

Wildcats medical staff detected the impairment caused by a condition known as keratoconus during player screenings last month.

Only Daniels’ near vision has been affected, causing him trouble when reading and looking at screens in close range.

The 22-year-old had surgery last week and his eyes are still extremely sensitive to light and glare.

But Wildcats managing director Nick Marvin said Daniels was expected to be available for the opening game of the NBL season, at home to New Zealand on October 10.

“It doesn’t affect his basketball and, in fact, he didn’t realise he had this condition because it didn’t affect his play,” Marvin said.

“He’s played a whole year at the University of Connecticut and won an NCAA championship with this situation.

“He’s been to 14 NBA clubs for try-outs but the effect on his playing is so minimal that nobody has picked it up.”

Daniels will wear gas permeable contact lenses to protect his eyes and the Wildcats will explore other options, including advanced hydrogel lenses.

The procedure to repair Daniels’ eye condition is a further setback following last week’s surgery to remove bone fragments from his right elbow, which was already expected to keep him out of action for a month.

Parent club Toronto Raptors, who retained the NBA rights to Daniels by sending their second-round draft pick overseas for a season, have been kept up to date with the player’s progress.

Marvin said the main priority at this stage was Daniels’ welfare.

“We’re responsible for all of our players and their welfare comes before a game or a season with us,” Marvin said.

“We’ll get him right before we put him on the court.

“For a 22-year-old who has never left college to come to a completely different country away from his family and be on his own through both procedures, he has shown a great deal of fortitude and discipline.

“He’s going to be a better man for it.”

Daniels was instructed by Toronto to improve aspects of his game and physical stature while in Australia.

He will focus on gaining muscle mass until he is ready to return to the practice court.


Coach Trevor Gleeson has returned from international duty at the FIBA World Cup and will reclaim the reins from interim coach Paul Woolpert.