“Basically Exploded”: 3X NBA Champion Details “Car Crash” Injury That Took Away a Piece of His Soul Years Before Warriors Triumph
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Injuries are part of any contact game and athletes have to deal with mishaps on a regular basis. But there are times when an injury is so horrifying that it shakes everyone to their core and goes down as one of the worst injuries in a certain sport. This was the case with this three-time NBA champion who was touted to be the next Magic Johnson. While the injury had a major effect on his career, he managed to establish himself as one of the best role players in the league for the Golden State Warriors.
Numerous players in the league never reach their full potential due to injuries. However, the injury suffered by this former Warriors player managed to take a “part of his soul” long before he made it big in the league.
Former NBA Champion’s gruesome injury
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Shaun Livingston was the fourth pick in the 2004 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. At 6’7, Livingston was listed as a point guard and analysts had already started to draw comparisons between him and the great Magic Johnson. However, by his third year in the league, Livingston suffered a petrifying knee injury that went down as one of the worst injuries in NBA history. Recently, the three-time NBA champion made an appearance on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.
That is where the former NBA star talked about his gruesome injury and the rehabilitation he had to go through. When asked about the mental journey of his comeback, Livingston said, “It is the mental journey. Because it really takes a piece of your soul from fighting the injuries.”
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“They compared it to a car crash.”
At 21 years old, Shaun Livingston suffered one of the worst knee injuries in NBA history. He missed nearly two years of gameplay and says it took him almost a decade to feel like himself again on the court.
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“The love of the game, sometimes, when you could just wake up and hoop? You just wake up and just go hoop. I could do that all day. We used to ride around looking for basketball games. I loved the game, and studied the game. Watched all y’all come up and watched a lot of old head come up,” added Livingston.
The former 6’7 point guard went on to talk about his injury even further. When asked about the exact details, Livingston said, “They basically compared it to a car crash.” He also added, “I was just so skinny man. And one came down the wrong way and it just basically exploded.”
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Shaun Livingston’s Comeback to the NBA
Shaun Livingston suffered a dislocated knee, which resulted in his leg getting snapped. The injury kept him off the court for about two years and even after his comeback to the NBA, Livingston managed to bounce around the league.
Watch This Story – Worst career-threatening injuries in NBA history
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But it finally paid off when he joined the Golden State Warriors and became a perfect fit for the team. Livingston became the backup point guard for Stephen Curry and used his mid-range shooting plus his height advantage to look for his teammates on the floor.
The once-rejected player by the league went on to win three NBA championships and salvage his career after all. It was one hell of a journey for Shaun Livingston. What are your thoughts on his injuries? Let us know in the comments.
Edited by:
Pragya Vashisth