Awful.
Former NBA centre Shawn Bradley has suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury that has left him paralysed, according to a statement released on his behalf by his former team the Dallas Mavericks.
Bradley, who played 12 NBA seasons and was one of the league’s tallest players in history, suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle near his home in St. George, Utah.
After undergoing neck fusion surgery, Bradley has spent the last eight weeks hospitalised and undergoing rehabilitation.
“His very strong sense of faith is being tested as he participates in grueling physical therapy and learns how to cope with the challenges of paraplegia,” the statement read.
“Doctors have advised him that his road to recovery will be both long and arduous.”
Bradley, who turns 49 next week, was the second pick in the 1993 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers but spent the vast majority of his career at the Dallas Mavericks.
“We are saddened to hear of Shawn’s accident,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said in the statement.
“Shawn has always been incredibly determined and shown a fighting spirit. We wish him nothing but the best in his recovery. He will always be a part of our Mavs family.”
In addition to a successful playing career, Bradley also appeared in the film Space Jam alongside fellow NBA stars, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Muggsy Bogues and Larry Johnson.
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