DALLAS — Utah Jazz center Greg Ostertag is ready to donate a kidney to his younger sister, who has been in need of a transplant since her kidneys failed in March.
Amy Hall has had type 1 diabetes since she was 7. Her kidney problems began in 1999. After it was determined the 26-year-old woman needed a new organ, tests showed her brother to be a perfect donor.
The procedure was being performed Thursday at Baylor University Medical Center, where Mickey Mantle had a liver transplant in 1995.
The 7-foot-2 Ostertag is expected to be hospitalized until Saturday. The risk of career-threatening complications are low.
Doctors have told Ostertag he can return to his normal routine within six weeks if all goes well. The 29-year-old player expects to be ready for the start of Jazz training camp.
Ostertag will try becoming the second player in three years to return to the NBA following a kidney transplant. Sean Elliott went back to the San Antonio Spurs after getting a kidney from his brother in March 2000.
Ostertag told team officials of his decision in March but didn't make it public until a few weeks ago.
"I just hope things go well with Greg," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said Wednesday night. "That's our foremost concern for him and his family. Basketball is secondary. That's always the case when we have a player who has a problem with his family. We wish him nothing but the best."
Ostertag has often been labeled an underachiever on the court, primarily because his production hasn't measured up to his $36 million, six-year contract. He has two seasons and $16.3 million left.
He's coming off a strong playoff series in a first-round loss to Sacramento, averaging 6.8 points and 8.5 rebounds, double his regular-season numbers in both categories.
Utah acquired 7-foot center Curtis Borchardt during the draft Wednesday night, but Jazz owner Larry Miller said the move was not protection in case Ostertag can't return.
"The kidney is a wild card. But we're pretty sure unless something goes wrong with the surgery, we don't think it will affect his play much," Miller said. "It isn't something we're worried about."