PHOENIX — The knee surgery Penny Hardaway underwent last May was much more serious than the Phoenix Suns revealed at the time.
Hardaway confirmed Thursday night that the had undergone microfracture surgery on his left knee, not the simple arthroscopic surgery the Suns reported.
Recovery time for microfracture surgery is about six months, which would explain why Hardaway has yet to rejoin the team. He returned to Phoenix on Thursday after spending two weeks in Houston to work out with physical therapist Russ Paine, who has worked with him after previous injuries and operations.
Hardaway came back because he wanted to be with his teammates and didn't want any of the rancor that occurred among the Magic when he left Orlando to rehabilitate in Houston four years ago.