Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady will undergo microfracture surgery on his left knee on Tuesday, the team announced Monday.

The two-time NBA scoring champion will have the surgery performed in Chicago by famous doctor Brian Cole.

"I'm sorry to all those who were counting on me to help this team achieve great things," McGrady apologized on his Web site.

Team doctor Tom Clanton said the 29-year-old McGrady has several factors in his favor, such as his age, and the joint damage is in a "favorable location," not near a weight-bearing area.

Several NBA players have undergone microfracture knee surgery with mixed results. Amare Stoudemire and Jason Kidd are among notable players who've regained old forms after the operation; Chris Webber and Anfernee Hardaway are among the group who were eliminated from the court.

McGrady averaged 15.6 points, five assists and 4.4 rebounds this season, hitting his historically low.

(Agencies via Xinhua News Agency Feburary 24, 2009)