After spending several months confined to his home, former Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham is finally healthy enough to play golf.

He just isn’t healthy enough to put on shoulder pads -- and said he will miss the beginning of the 2011 NFL season, should it start on time.

Graham, a first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010 who was back in Ann Arbor on Monday for a golf outing hosted by former Michigan basketball great Jalen Rose, is recovering from microfracture surgery on his right knee. He underwent the procedure Dec. 21, and is rehabbing at Select Medical in Marina del Rey, Calif., near Los Angeles.

He is expected to see Dr. James Andrews next week.

The former Detroit Crockett standout said he hopes to begin practicing with the Eagles in September, if the NFL lockout is lifted by then.

“This is my first serious injury, so I’m challenging myself with how I’m going to come back,” Graham said. “Now that I can move around better, I do more and get out. Went to the movies this weekend. Couldn’t do much before, just stayed in the house and iced the knee every day.”

Graham had 12 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles as a rookie with the Eagles last season. He was a two-time all-Big Ten selection at Michigan, and a second-team AP All-American as a senior.

While the NFL is locked out, Graham said he was been playing more golf — including every day for the past two weeks to prepare for Rose’s outing at Barton Hills Country Club.

“It has improved my knee, too,” he said.

As for his golf game?

“I’m not that great. But the one thing I do, I hit ‘em straight,” said Graham, a 6-foot-2, 268-pounder who sported high-top sneakers, basketball shorts and a polo shirt for the outing.

Manny staying stateside

Manny Harris, who played basketball at Michigan before declaring for the NBA draft after his junior season, said he has no intention of playing professional basketball overseas.

Other NBA players — including all-star point guard Deron Williams — are considering doing so if the lockout cuts into next season.

Meantime, Harris, who is entering the second and final year of his rookie contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, plans to continue to work out with his trainer and other NBA players in Las Vegas.

Just don’t expect him to pick up golf any time soon — Harris, who wore No. 3 at Michigan, took three swings to drive off the first tee. The shot went about 10 yards.

Fab Five trend setter

Fab Five alum Jimmy King said the documentary produced by Rose about that era of Michigan basketball “was much bigger than I expected.”

“I knew it would do well, but I didn’t know it would do that well,” he said. “It shows that we had a long-lasting impression for what we did playing on the court.

“I love watching a soccer game, I love watching a football game, I love watching other sports where guys are sporting black shoes and black socks. That makes me feel good, and I’d like to think we had a lot to do with that.”

Quote of the day

Former Michigan linebacker Larry Foote, who hit his second drive of the day into a tree about 30 yards to the left:

“I can hit it off the tee, but after that, I’m not too good.”

The next Prince

Tayshaun Prince, who has spent all nine years of his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons, was expected to play Monday but had to back out when his wife went into labor.

“That’s the kind of stuff I’m dealing with,” quipped Rose, whose outing was delayed two hours by rain.

Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.