David Lee Undergoes Surgery to Repair Torn Hip Flexor

Golden State Warriors All-Star forward David Lee has undergone surgery to repair a torn right hip flexor.

Finally.

His surgery comes more than a month after the initial tear. He opted to play through it, all the while acknowledging that he would need to go under the knife upon season's end.

With the Warriors' season officially over, he was free to have the very procedure he had staved off.

Lee posted a photo on his Instagram account announcing the news.

"Successful surgery, dope outfit LOL," the caption reads. "Ready to get on the road to recovery!!! #GSW"

Lee suffered the injury in Game 1 of Golden State's first-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets and was thought to be lost for the remainder of the season. 

After being cleared to play, Lee returned to make a one-minute appearance in the Warriors' series-clinching Game 6 victory over the Nuggets.

"It's much better than sitting there in a suit, that's for sure," Lee said of his return following the win.

Despite sitting out the first two games of Golden State's second-round bout versus the San Antonio Spurs, he made appearances in each of the last four, averaging 7.8 minutes of action.

The Warriors fell to the Spurs in six games, but Lee's resilience became an inspiration and was also used as a means to chastise the sidelined Derrick Rose.

Risking further injury for a single playoff run—that the Warriors were never expected to make—wasn't always considered smart, but there was no denying the impact his return had on his team's morale. 

For Lee, his refusal to yield to his affliction wasn't about smarts anyway. He had just finished up his eighth NBA season and earned his second career All-Star selection, but he had never been to the playoffs. He wanted the opportunity to play, so he made it happen.

Fortunately for Lee and the Warriors, the surgery was a success and no reports of additional damage or complications ever surfaced.

Really, the only genuine setback appears to be that of Lee's fashion sense, because that getup he's sporting is so not "dope."

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