Ray Willis, the OU basketball player who suffered a cracked rib and a minor lung puncture in a fight last weekend, was released from the hospital Wednesday.
“We are glad to report that his injuries are not major and that he has an opportunity to make a full recovery,” OU head basketball coach Jeff Capel said in a statement about the freshman guard.
Defensive end Frank Alexander, the other Sooner athlete injured in Sunday’s brawl at Sooner Knights, was released from the hospital on Sunday and attended classes this week.
Willis is out of the hospital and in good spirits, according to Darren Rogers, his former basketball coach at Westlake High School in Atlanta, Ga.
Rogers said he spoke with Willis three times during the player’s hospital stay, including once after he came out of surgery.
“He sounded strong,” Rogers said. “I was a little worried when I heard he got stabbed. But we had a pretty lengthy conversation. I felt a lot better then because I heard the strength in his voice, and his positive attitude kind of eased my worries.”
Rogers said Willis told him he had suffered a slightly cracked rib and a minor puncture to his lungs.
“He was stabbed three or four times, but none of the injuries were life-threatening,” Rogers said.
According to Rogers, Willis was the victim of an unprovoked attack. He said Willis told him that the disturbance at Sooner Knights started early Sunday morning with a fight inside the club.
“When he exited the club, a gang of guys approached him and started asking him questions. They wanted to know whether he was a football player,” Rogers said. “I’m pretty sure he indicated that he wasn’t, but then the guy who asked him the question, he jumped on him.”
Police said the fight was instigated by people who had been denied entrance to the private party that Willis and Alexander were attending at Sooner Knights.
Capel and Rogers said Willis is expected to recover in time to play basketball during the Sooners’ upcoming season.
“He was blessed that he was able to come out of this without any major, life-threatening injuries,” Roger said.
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