1006 days later, "Ball Brother" Bo Han returned to the court. Although it was only a preseason game, his performance against the Timberwolves was a pleasant surprise. He made 4 of 6 shots (including 2 of 4 three-pointers) and scored 10 points, along with 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block.

If you understand the type of knee surgery that Ball had, you would understand that his return to the court itself is a miracle. In March 2023, Ball underwent his third left knee surgery in over a year. The Bulls officially called it a "cartilage transplant surgery". Later, Ball revealed in an interview that his left knee had no meniscus and cartilage left, causing bone-on-bone friction. He underwent a left knee meniscus transplantation and a simultaneous cartilage transplantation surgery.

The industry's evaluation of this surgery was "radical" because no NBA player had returned to the court after similar procedures. But Ball chose to take the risk and believed in the rapid development of modern medicine in improving the recovery abilities of professional athletes. At least for now, he appears to have won the bet by returning to the court.

Injuries are a hurdle that players cannot avoid. Over the years, players have battled various types of injuries, and some conditions that were once believed to end their careers or severely impact their performance have been overcome. Some players not only returned to the court after an injury but also performed beyond expectations.

Take Bernard King, for example. On March 24, 1985, during a game against the Kings, King, the league's leading scorer with an average of 32.9 points per game, suffered a serious knee injury. The results of the examination showed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The tearing of the ACL is still considered a severe injury to this day, but most people can fully recover and return to their previous level of performance. However, during King's playing days, a torn ACL was considered a career-ending injury. After learning the diagnosis, King cried until his eyes swelled. The doctors told him not to think about returning to the NBA but to focus on recovering the ability to walk normally.

King visited many doctors and finally chose Dr. Norman Scott, the Knicks' team physician, to perform the surgery. One month after the surgery, King looked at his swollen knee, atrophied muscles, and asked himself in the mirror, "Can I still play basketball?" King underwent a long rehabilitation period and overcame his fear of water by learning to swim and rehabilitating his knee in the pool. He hired a physical therapist to help him with six days of five-hour rehabilitation training sessions per week, lasting for two years. On April 11, 1987, King returned to the court. What made King's story legendary was his transformation after the knee injury. He returned to his peak form and became an All-Star player again.

Sean Elliott, known as the "Kidney Warrior," is another example. During the 1992-93 season, Elliott, the third overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, averaged 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He made his first All-Star appearance and became a valuable addition to David Robinson's Spurs. But starting from that season, Elliott began to feel physical problems. He always felt drowsy and lost his appetite. His hands, feet, and face began to swell. The examination results showed that Elliott had focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a disease that affects kidney function and the filtration of waste from the blood.

Elliott persisted and continued to play until 1999 when the Spurs won the championship. In Game 2 of the 1999 Western Conference Finals, Elliott delivered a classic performance. With 9 seconds left in the game and the Spurs trailing by 2 points, Elliott hit a difficult game-winning three-pointer, leaving Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire stunned. That season, the Spurs won the NBA Finals against the Knicks, and Elliott's dream of winning a championship came true. After the championship, Elliott was faced with two choices: either undergo dialysis and end his career or undergo a kidney transplant in hopes of returning to the court. Elliott chose the kidney transplant, and his brother Noel Elliott became the kidney donor. On March 15, 2000, Elliott returned to the court, becoming the first professional athlete to return to the sport after a kidney transplant, not only in the NBA. After retiring, Elliott dedicated himself to charitable activities, actively raising awareness of kidney health. When Alonzo Mourning underwent a kidney transplant in 2003, Elliott was there to offer help, assisting Mourning in his successful return to the court.

Kevin Durant is another player who has overcome a major injury. Looking at historical cases, players who suffer from Achilles tendon tears or ruptures either retire directly or see a significant decline in their performance. Kobe Bryant is a typical example. The first player to beat the Achilles tendon injury was Dominique Wilkins, and his experience has inspired many successors. But even Wilkins experienced a gradual decline in efficiency after returning from the injury. The real medical miracle creator is Durant. Wilkins once said, "He has become the spokesperson for this injury."

In the 2019 NBA Finals, Durant suffered a severe Achilles tendon injury. He invested a lot of time and money in his recovery. Durant's Achilles tendon surgery was performed by renowned surgeon Dr. Martin O'Malley, who used a new suturing technique for the injury. Combined with more modern and scientific rehabilitation methods, Durant achieved a triumphant return to the court. Some data analysts predicted that Durant's offensive efficiency would decrease after his recovery, but his shooting percentages in the four seasons after the injury were 53.7%, 51.8%, 56%, and 52.3%, respectively. Especially in his first season back, Durant had a usage rate of 31.3% and a true shooting percentage of 66.6%. His offensive efficiency not only did not decline compared to his peak, but also set new career records in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons.

Durant's successful comeback has given other injured players confidence. WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart, Klay Thompson, MLB outfielder Sterling Shepard, and others have sought advice from Durant after suffering Achilles tendon injuries. Some have consulted the surgeon recommended by Durant, Dr. O'Malley, while others have sought advice on rehabilitation. Durant's doors are open to all.

The rapid development of modern medicine has given injured athletes the confidence to create miracles. Elton Brand and Greg Oden, like Ball, also spent more than 1000 days recovering from their injuries, but they played fewer than 30 games after their return to the NBA and quickly faded away. With Ball nearing his 27th birthday, he is unlikely to follow their path.

As Durant said, "Times have changed. Suffering a major injury does not mean it's the end of the world."

公牛免费观看_篮球免费观看_NBA免费观看_公牛高清在线_篮球高清在线_NBA高清在线