Huge Setback For Nation's Tallest College Hoops Player

It always amused me that, in just about every game story where he was involved, UNC Asheville's 7-foot-9, 375-pound Kenny George was always referred to as "UNC Asheville center Kenny George ..." Yeah, I'm glad you clarified his position; I thought he might be the point guard. George may have been a mere curiosity to some, but in reality he was a pretty decent college player. Which makes it all the more sadder when we learn that his basketball career is now almost certainly at an end. According to his high school coach and a family friend, George has had a partial amputation of his right foot recently due to an infection. The senior from Chicago, who is the nation’s tallest player, has had at least two surgeries and other procedures after his right foot became infected at a summer camp for big men in Las Vegas in August.

Family friend Sonny Parker, a former NBA player who has known George since he was 12 years old, said he has talked to George's father, Kenny George Sr. "He said parts of his foot had to be amputated," Parker said. "This is so sad because Kenny has gone through so much in his life because of his size, but hopefully he can bounce back." UNCA coach Eddie Biedenbach declined to talk about specifics of George’s medical condition but offered a statement based on the probability that George wouldn’t play this season. “This is a really terrible setback for Kenny,” Biedenbach said. “He worked so hard to get into the situation where he could play last year and was working hard to be ready for this season. To have basketball taken away from him seemingly isn’t fair. There’s much more to Kenny than just basketball. Our thoughts and prayers are with him as he goes on with his life."

Rush the Court has some further details and a couple of videos of George in action here. UNCA Center Kenny George Loses Part Of Foot [Citizen-Times]