As Paul George's leg began to heal Saturday morning with the help of a surgically-inserted rod, the All-Star embarked on the long road back to the Indiana Pacers and NBA basketball.
While he rested comfortably, the consternation encompassing the basketball world also began to slowly dissipate, and the positive outlook surrounding George's future was pioneered by Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard.
"I have no fear he'll be back and back in a big way. We're not going to put a timetable on it but I don't think there's any doubt he'll be back," he said via Bob Kravtiz of the Indianapolis Star.
Pritchard, who relayed the positive news from outside George's Las Vegas hotel room, added further details about the severity of the break.
"It's bone and bone only. It doesn't look like any soft-tissue damage. We're not trying to project when he's coming back, just trying to get him through this week and then we'll know more, but the biggest risk right now is infection.
"That looks really good right now. They just changed his dressing and it looks really good."
A lack of soft-tissue damage, as Pritchard described, is integral for George's recovery, according to Dr. James Gladstone of the Icahn School of Medicine, via The Associated Press.
''The thing about breaking a bone is that if you get it back in the appropriate position, it can be as good as new. If the muscle is not involved and the bone and muscle are fully healed, then I think he will get back [to his previous form].''
Only time - and plenty of it - will tell if George can return to his All-Star form, but he may require a feat greater than anything he's accomplished on the basketball court over the next 12 months in order to get there.
