Former Dallas Mavericks player Shawn Bradley was paralyzed after a January bicycle accident, his former team announced on Wednesday. The 48-year-old was hit from behind by a car while riding his bicycle near his home in St. George, Utah, the Mavericks said.
The accident resulted in a traumatic spinal cord injury, and Bradley underwent neck fusion surgery. He spent eight weeks in hospital and underwent rehabilitation.
The former center – which is 2.20 meters long – played 14 seasons in the NBA. He had not previously released details of the accident. According to the Mavericks statement, he has no plans to release any more public updates.
“We are sad to hear of Shawn’s accident,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said in a statement. “Shawn has always been incredibly determined and has shown a fighting spirit. We wish him nothing but the best in his recovery. He will always be a part of our Mavs family.”
“We are deeply saddened to hear of Shawn’s injury and our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family,” Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson said in a statement. “In his more than eight seasons in Dallas, Shawn has displayed all the qualities you want in a person who represents your organization. He has always displayed unshakable persistence and determination and we think of him during this difficult time. life . “
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Doctors have told Bradley that the road to recovery “will be long and arduous, perhaps an even more difficult physical challenge than playing professional basketball,” said a statement. “His very strong sense of faith is being tested as he participates in grueling physical therapy and learns to deal with the challenges of spinal cord injury,” the statement said.
Bradley, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, served as a missionary in Australia for two years. He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as the number two pick in the 1993 NBA draft. He also had a role in the 1996 movie “Space Jam” alongside Michael Jordan.
Bradley retired in 2005 and became a counselor at a private school for at-risk youth in West Jordan, Utah, according to CBS Sports.
“With his wife Carrie by his side around the clock, and supported by a great team of rehabilitation specialists and family, Bradley is in a good mood,” the Mavericks statement said. “He plans to use his accident as a platform to raise public awareness of the importance of bicycle safety.”