Chris Wilcox: 'I am open to going overseas'

Wilcox, who will host a golf tournament in Wake Forest, N.C., next week to benefit the American Heart Association and Lupus Foundation of America, is hoping for another chance in the NBA, but jobs for aging veterans are drying up. And Wilcox has not been able to avoid injuries the past few seasons. “At this point I’m just trying to get right, just trying to be ready, I don’t know what’s going to happen this year,” he said. “Last season [coming off heart surgery] was tough because I didn’t know what to expect. I was kind of preparing myself like, well if Jeff [Green] can do it, then I can do it. Jeff was further along than me [in his recovery] and it kind of messed with me mentally because I’m like, ‘Why can’t I do this? Why can’t I do that?’ I was just trying to come back and I came back as soon as I could.

This summer, Wilcox said he has been biking and has trimmed down. He is just 30 years old despite having played 11 NBA seasons. As a backup center, he could be an asset for another five years, but Wilcox’s motor and basketball IQ have come into question in recent years. Add to that a market that may only allow Wilcox to join a team on a training camp invitation and a return may be difficult. “I am open to going overseas,” he said. “At the same time, I would love to stay here in the NBA. If it’s something that I have to do, then I’ll do it.”