Warriors' Kevon Looney Undergoes Successful Surgery on Core Muscle Injury

Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney will miss the remainder of the 2019-20 NBA season, if it resumes, after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury.

The Warriors announced the procedure, which took place at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia, was successful Wednesday. Looney is expected to return for the 2020-21 season.

In the first season of a three-year, $14.5 million contract, Looney was limited to just 20 games by injuries. The 6'9", 221-pound forward averaged 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game.

"I just want to get my body back right. I just want to get back to feeling like an athlete again," Looney told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. "Didn't get to play much in the summer because of the upper-body injury. Training camp, I couldn't play because of my hamstring. Then the abdominal strain.

"So I just want to get back to feeling like an athlete, get my confidence back in myself and my game and then have a good summer." 

The Warriors have been ravaged by injury throughout their lost 2019-20 season. Klay Thompson has missed the entire season while recovering from a torn ACL, and Stephen Curry was limited to five games by a hand injury.

When the Warriors do return to the floor next season, their roster will essentially be revamped on the strength of players coming back from injuries alone.