Grant Hill Sidelined By Surgery

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) _ Five-time All-Star Grant Hill will miss the rest of the season after undergoing a third operation on his left ankle. <br><br>The Orlando Magic forward played in 14 games this season

Tuesday, December 18th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) _ Five-time All-Star Grant Hill will miss the rest of the season after undergoing a third operation on his left ankle.

The Orlando Magic forward played in 14 games this season after missing all but four games last year. He signed a seven-year, $93 million contract with Orlando in August 2000.

``I'm disappointed for the fans and my teammates,'' Hill said in a statement Tuesday. ``Hopefully, this will lead me down the road to recovery. I will continue to remain optimistic as I face this latest challenge.''

Hill averaged 16.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists this season. He led the team with five double-doubles.