Brazil national team star Leandro Barbosa is to undergo wrist surgery on Tuesday.
Barbosa, who plays for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, has been bothered by a cyst on his right wrist.
“The wrist was affecting his shooting due to the pain,” Suns president of basketball Operations and general manager Steve Kerr said on the Suns’ website.
“I think he’ll be relieved from the pain when he comes back.
“He’s been trying to shoot through it, but it’s been really swollen and he hasn’t had the flexibility in his wrist.”
Barbosa, who had fluid drained from the wrist earlier this season, will have plenty of time to recover ahead of this year’s FIBA World Championship in Turkey where Brazil will take on Team USA, Slovenia, Croatia, Iran and Tunisia in the Preliminary Round.
The 27-year-old guard led Brazil to the gold medal at last year’s FIBA Americas Championship in San Juan where he averaged better than 21 points per game.
Barbosa had his best shooting performance when it counted, pouring in 24 in the 61-60 title triumph over hosts Puerto Rico.
