Getting Back in the Game

Recently Washington Wizards rookie Andray Blatche was shot in an attempted car jacking and is scheduled to miss at least the upcoming training camp. Blatche, as it turned out, was lucky not to have to miss more or be more seriously injured. This though, brings to the forefront a rather interesting dilemma that NBA teams face when dealing with players; that is, non-basketball related injuries. From Paul Pierce’s stabbing to Jay Williams motorcycle accident to Vin Baker’s alcoholism, teams and often time players themselves, are nearly powerless when it comes to what happens off the court. This season will feature several players returning to action for the first time, in TJ Ford and Jay Williams, and, in DerMarr Johnson, a player that has a chance to finally reach his potential, post accident.


The stories of TJ Ford and Jay Williams are so extremely similar yet divergent enough at some points that their returns will be scripted completely differently. Whereas Ford injured his spinal cord during a Bucks game, Jay Williams crashed a motorcycle that he was not supposed to be driving. While the Bucks embraced Ford and toted him the point-guard of the future, the Bulls cut their ties with Williams and drafted Kirk Hinrich. Ford seems to have rehabbed his injury in a season and looks to be the starting point-guard on a team poised to be an Eastern Conference sleeper this season. Williams, on the other hand, has spent two arduous years training to return to the NBA. He has no team to return to and it’s looking as though he won’t until just before training camp begins. Both players were figured to be mainstays on future all-star teams before their injuries and now they both figure to be major question marks. While its difficult to see either of these players falling out of the league, because they’re both so young and so talented, but its also difficult to imagine either of them living up to their full potential.

DerMarr Johnson wouldn’t be a bad model for these point-guards to look to for inspiration. Johnson, once a player thought to be the next Scottie Pippen, at best and at least, the next Bobby Jones. Well, maybe those are bit of a stretch, but Johnson had a lot of potential. The Hawks selected him with the 6th overall pick in the 2000 draft and had high hopes for him. After two promising seasons, Johnson was in a car accident that sidelined him for a year and a half with injuries to his vertebra. Now he’s back and looks to be the Nuggets full time shooting guard. Johnson had a decent year last year. If he can step up and really play some solid minutes at the two, the Nuggets search for a guard may be over. Last season he put up decent averages, and his per-40-minute play was exactly what the Nuggets would need to be a serious contender, with 16.3ppg, 2.4apg and 4.9rpg. Consistency has always been an issue with Johnson so he may be nothing more than a role player now, but if he can figure out how to play at a high level all the time, the Nuggets will have a real gem on their hands.


Andray Blatche shouldn’t feel too disheartened about missing time and getting shot, in terms of his career goals. Paul Pierce is better now than he was before he was a stabbing victim, Jay Williams and TJ Ford are poised to make comebacks to the NBA and DerMarr Johnson is poised to be a serious player. If Blatche ever has a doubt about his future all he need do is look to the past and see all the other guys who’ve been able to resurrect their careers from serious non-basketball-related injuries.