Ex-Suns star Ceballos still battling to recover
Prayers are being answered for Cedric Ceballos.
The former Phoenix Suns forward tweeted Monday that he’s out on intensive care as he tested positive for COVID-19. However, the 52-year-old hasn’t fully recovered.
“I am COVID-19 free, thank you so very much for your prayers and well wishes to help me with that. I still CAN NOT breathe, walk or function on my own yet.”
Last week, Ceballos tweeted a picture of him in an intensive care unit bedridden with an oxygen mask.
“On my 10th day in ICU, COVID-19 is officially kicking my but, I am asking ALL family, friends, prayer warriors healers for your prayers and well wish for my recovery. If I have done and anything to you in the past , allow me to publicly apologize. My fight is not done…..Thx.”
A second-round pick for the Suns in the 1990 draft out of Cal State Fullerton, Ceballos won the 1992 slam dunk contest as he wore a blindfold put on him by teammate Dan Majerle on his final dunk he called “Hocus Pocus” and scored a perfect 50.
The next season, Ceballos averaged 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds for the 1992-93 team led by NBA MVP Charles Barkley that reached the NBA Finals before losing to Michael Jordan and the three-peat Chicago Bulls.
Leading the league in field-goal percentage
that season at 57.6%, Ceballos injured his knee against the Seattle SuperSonics in the conference finals and missed the finals series.
Ceballos followed up that season with an even better year as he averaged 19.1 points on 53.5% shooting and 6.5 rebounds in his final year in Phoenix.
The Suns traded Ceballos to the Los Angeles Lakers for a first-round pick they used to select Michael Finley. Ceballos responded with a career year, averaging a career-high 21.7 points and eight rebounds in earning his only AllStar nod.
Averaging 14.3 points for his 11-year NBA career, Ceballos missed the the 1995 All-Star game that was in Phoenix
due to injury.