Former Dallas Mavericks player Shawn Bradley has been paralyzed after a bicycle accident in January, 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. Petersburg. George, Utah, the Mavericks said.
The accident caused a traumatic spinal cord injury and Bradley underwent a neck fusion operation. He spent eight weeks in hospital and underwent rehabilitation.
The former center – who is 7 feet tall and 6 inches tall – played 14 seasons in the NBA. He had not previously released any details about the accident. According to the Mavericks statement, he has no plans to release any more public updates.
“We are saddened 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 part of our Mavs family.”
“We are deeply saddened to hear of Shawn’s injury and our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family,” Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson said in a statement. “In most eight seasons in Dallas, Shawn has demonstrated all the qualities you want in a person who represents your organization. He has always shown unwavering firmness and determination and we are thinking of him in this difficult time. He is a Maverick for life. . “
G River / Getty Images
Doctors advised Bradley that the road to recovery would be “long and difficult, probably a physical challenge even more difficult than playing professional basketball,” according to a statement. “His very strong sense of faith is being tested as he participates in grueling physical therapy and learns how to deal with the challenges of paraplegia,” the statement said.
Bradley, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, worked as a missionary in Australia for two years. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers as number two in the 1993 NBA Draft. He also had a role in the 1996 film “Space Jam” opposite 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 with him 24 hours a day, and supported by an amazing team of rehabilitation and family specialists, Bradley is in a good mood,” the Mavericks statement said. “It plans to use its accident as a platform to raise public awareness of the importance of bicycle safety.”