Golden State Warriors fan Ramini Singer recalls a scene in 2007 when her brother was watching a game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Charlotte Bobcats when she ran over to see the tv set after hearing her brother's screams. Singer's younger brother witnessed what is known as the worst injury in NBA history.
The tall, 6-7-inch point guard — the 4th pick in the 2004 draft — fell heavily to the ground after failing to make a layup, his calf severely cut in two from the middle. The entire arena held their breath, and Livingston, writhing on the floor, cried out in pain. Suddenly, Livingston's promising career became bleak.
After that, Livingston missed an entire season with injury. He has played for 9 NBA teams and 1 development league team. Before becoming a key member of the Warriors of the 2015 NBA championship, Livingston was cut by the team four times. Today, Livingston is often used as an inspirational model.
On April 16, after suffering multiple leg injuries caused by a capsizing accident, Singer, struggling to recover, used Livingston's story to motivate himself and wrote a text on Twitter thanking him.
“... I just want to tell you that I have a total of 4 injuries in my legs and knees, the doctor implanted titanium alloy brackets and screws into my legs and knees, I can't walk now, but you have inspired me. Seeing you play on the field is the only thing that makes me believe I'll recover one day in the future. #希望," Singer wrote on his Twitter account @ninislove on May 13.
Fans who are also physically traumatized inspire themselves with the story of Livingston's NBA victory on Twitter, while expressing their gratitude. Seeing these countless tweets, Livingston was deeply moved. In the case of Singer, seeing the text she wrote to herself on Twitter, Livingston replied to Singer on May 14 with his Twitter account @shaunlivingston.
"Believe in yourself, believe in your body. I sincerely wish you a recovery #Believe... Thank you for sharing your story with me. The biggest difficulty we can overcome is overcoming the doubts in our hearts after we tell ourselves we can't do it," Livingston replied on Twitter.
On a charter flight from Cleveland to the Bay Area on a warriors charter flight back to the Bay Area after winning the championship last year, Livingston was alone thinking about overcoming a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
Champagne was visible on the charter, and teammates in the seats took turns holding the championship trophy. After the excitement, sleepiness struck, and most of the people fell asleep on the charter flight. Livingston sat quietly, reliving the nightmares he had experienced in the past that had made him the champion he is today.
"I didn't cry, but it was really hard to suppress the emotions in my heart." Livingston said in an interview with The Undefeated. "I was so overwhelmed with excitement that I couldn't sleep. I think back to what I went through along the way. Looking at the group of guys sleeping with trophies in their arms, I remembered everything I had been through — playing for different teams and going to different cities. ”
Livingston is from Peoria, Illinois, a small town famous for comedian Richard Pryor. After working as a varsity team player at Peoria Central High School, Livingston won the 2004 Illinois Basketball Man. At the age of 18, he was selected by the Clippers with the 4th pick in the first round. In the first three seasons of his career, Livingston missed 101 of his 246 games due to injury. After a three-year throesy period, the Clippers hoped Livingston would play a breakthrough season, but it all came to an abrupt end on February 26, 2007. That day was a nightmare in Livingston's life.
With the displacement of the left kneecap, the right calf is broken, livingston's anterior cruciate ligament of the knee, the posterior cruciate ligament, and the lateral meniscus are all torn. In addition, the medial collateral ligament was also severely sprained, and Livingston instantly felt the pain caused by multiple serious injuries to his body.
"My calves are completely deformed and my knee joints are completely displaced. I was in so much pain that ten seconds felt like spending an hour. Livingston recalled. It was only about 10 to 15 seconds, but I endured severe pain until the doctor put my knee back in place. ”
The replay footage is so terrifying that espn news warns viewers before it airs. Doctors did a lot of tests for Livingston after surgery to make sure there was no gangrene (tissue necrosis) or if there was a need for amputation.
Livingston had to relearn to walk.
But fortunately, he was only 21 years old.
"The knee is completely deformed, and the wound is suppurated after bleeding." Livingston said. "The legs were completely immobile, stiff, like I had an extra leg. My limbs were thin, like a slender pole with a pineapple tied in the middle. ”
Livingston was absent for the entire 2007-08 season. When basketball training resumed on June 16, 2008, it was a full 16 months after the injury. After Livingston's contract expired in the 2007-08 season, the Clippers didn't offer him an offer, which made him a full free agent.
Livingston then signed a two-year contract with the Miami Heat, but was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies just three months later, and the Grizzlies cut him on January 7, 2009, after the trade. This is only the first time he has been cut several times. Livingston then spent three more weeks with the Tulsa 66ers (now oklahoma blues), a division of the Thunder.
The Thunder signed Livingston on March 31, 2009, but cut him three days before Christmas.
"It's so humiliating, it makes you doubt your abilities." Livingston said.
Livingston had to relearn to walk, but fortunately he was only 21 years old.
Livingston later considered playing overseas. Instead, he gambled to sign two short 10-day contracts with the Washington Wizards, who later opted to renew livingston's contract until the end of the 2009-10 season. In 18 of his 26 games for the Wizards, Livingston played as a starter, averaging 9 points and 4 assists in 26 minutes per game. Once again, he found the feeling he had when he used to play, which also led Michael Jordan's Bobcats to offer him a two-year contract worth a total of $7 million – the injury was against the Bobcats.
Livingston's good form, however, did not last long. After two trades, he was cut again in the summer of 2012. Livingston rejoined the Wizards on November 15, 2012, but was cut two days before Christmas. After that, the Knight threw an olive branch to Livingston.
"You can think of it as a bad chance or a failure because either I didn't really fit into these teams or I was cut or they replaced me with someone else," Livingston said. "Something always happens. I just use it as a driving force to move forward, and at the same time I have to always take a long-term view. ”
After nine years in the league, Livingston looked to be finally back in good health and cashing in on his talent during the 2013-14 season with the Nets. Livingston played a full 76 games throughout the season (a career high) while averaging 8.3 points plus 3.2 assists from the bench. Livingston's coach, Jason Kidd, believes Livingston is good enough to start and appointed him as the team's starting point in 10 of the 12 games in the two rounds of the playoff series that year.
It was also at that time that Livingston began to realize that his return would inspire others.
"As I got back to the NBA, reclaimed myself, and got better and better, I felt like I wanted to inspire people through the toughest years," Livingston said. "I feel that this has risen to a higher sense of responsibility and mission, not just as a player per se."
Before Livingston signed with the Nets, the Warriors showed a lot of interest in them. Finally, the Warriors successfully signed Livingston to Livingston on July 11, 2014, on a three-year contract worth a total of $16.3 million, and put him on the bench of Stephen Curry, the two-time most valuable player of the day.
'We knew we needed a substitute and we really liked Livingston's ability to play multiple positions, so we prioritized signing him. Warriors general manager Bob Myers said in an interview with The Undefeated. "Sean has a high basketball IQ and we realise it's a great fit for us and we're a good fit for him. He knows how well he fits into our team. ”
Livingston didn't disappoint the team, averaging 6.3 points plus 3.3 assists per game during the 2014-15 regular season and helping the Warriors win championships. Livingston played a significant role on the bench — he averaged 18 minutes per game during the Warriors' 21 playoff games — and the Warriors won the championship trophy for the first time since 1975. Miles said Livingston, more than any other Warriors player, was "thrilled by the championship."
"He's genuinely happy to win the title, and you can feel the resonance when you talk to him." Miles said. "He would say, 'How does it feel to win the title?' A lot of times it's so busy at work that I don't have time to really thank him. He was a man who had fallen to the bottom of the valley, but had succeeded in standing on the top of the mountain afterwards. ”
Livingston said: "I won the championship, not just in the playoffs. I've had a lot of times before when I just wanted to play the playoffs, but now we've won a championship. This is crazy. “
As Curry's backup, Livingston played 78 games in the regular season, setting another career high. The Warriors remain wary of Livingston's past injuries, and they won't let him play more than 30 minutes in a game. Livingston has been "preventive" to protect the body, in the usual training will focus on strengthening the quadriceps, calf and gluteus major muscles exercises.
"With the continuous exercise, I can now clearly understand my body's reactions and symptoms." Livingston said. "I try to get things up front."
Livingston is working on a book about his own story, and he believes more people like Singer will be inspired by his path to recovery. In addition, he also hopes to win a second championship.
"I hope people will borrow my story to stand up and become stronger and more indomitable." Livingston said. "In difficult times, I want you to know what kind of person I am."
Singh understands this very well.
"For me, the days after surgery were the darkest, both physically and psychologically." Singh told The Undefeated. "The Warriors are fighting in the playoffs and every time I see Sean playing, it reminds me that my world is not over. The difficulties are only temporary, and I will get better. ”
(Onfire basketball app, the people who know basketball the best are here.) Fantasia games are on the line to build your own luxurious lineup. ）