Bobcats Head Coach Steve Clifford Undergoes Heart Surgery - East Idaho News
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Bobcats Head Coach Steve Clifford Undergoes Heart Surgery

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Getty S 053013 NBA?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1384031817461Christopher Trotman/Getty Images(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) — On Friday, Charlotte Bobcats head coach Steve Clifford underwent successful surgery to have two stents placed in his heart.

According to statement released by the team, Clifford is “resting comfortably” in the hospital but it was too soon to know when he’d return to the team.

Until Clifford rejoins the team, assistant Patrick Ewing will take over as the interim head coach.

“It’s definitely not the way I wanted to start my head coaching career with him in the hospital,” Ewing said.

Ewing recently spoke with Clifford, and is confident he’ll be back on the sidelines in the near future.

“He sounded good, cracking jokes, trying to calm me down. He’s ready to get out,” Ewing added.

Clifford is the third head coach in the four major sports to be admitted to the hospital. Denver Broncos head coach John Fox recently underwent heart surgery as well while Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak recently suffered a mini-stroke.

The 52-year-old Clifford joined the Bobcasts this past offseason after previously spending time as a assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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