DALLAS — Utah Jazz center Greg Ostertag ate some vanilla ice cream and even took a few laps around the nurses station Friday after undergoing surgery to donate a kidney to his younger sister.
Amy Hall, 26, was moved from intensive care to a regular room, said spokeswoman Kathryn Goldstein.
The transplant was performed by doctors at Baylor University Medical Center on Thursday.
Hall has had type 1 diabetes since she was 7. Her kidney problems began three years ago, and in March it was determined she needed a new organ. Tests showed her brother to be a perfect donor.
Surgeon Butch Derrick said Ostertag was adjusting to one kidney and that the plan is to increase his activities daily.
The 7-foot-2 Ostertag was expected to be released today or Sunday.
The risk of career-threatening complications are low. Ostertag should be able to report to training camp on time, Derrick said.
Ostertag, 29, will try becoming the second player in three years to return to the NBA with only one functioning kidney. Sean Elliott went back to the San Antonio Spurs after getting a kidney from his brother in March 2000. His two diseased kidneys were not removed.