After signing a four-year, $212 million deal with the 76ers, Paul George is prepping for his 14th season in the NBA. At 34, the forward is still among the best two-way players in the league, which is incredible, considering he almost had his career stolen away a decade ago. His father, Paul George Sr., even began weighing up potential career options for the then-Pacers star.
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On the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George, the father-son duo discussed the gruesome injury the forward suffered in 2014 during an intrasquad scrimmage game between players on the Team USA roster for the FIBA World Cup.
While attempting a block on James Harden’s layup, George jammed his foot on the backboard stanchion and suffered a graphic tibia fracture. His broken and bent foot is among the most harrowing sights fans have seen on a basketball court.
George Sr. stated that he was convinced that his son might never step foot on the hardwood again. However, the resilience and mental fortitude George showcased in the aftermath of the injury left him impressed. When asked what he learned about the forward after the injury, he said,
“He don’t take no for an answer. He don’t let nothing get in his way… He had a good reason to throw the towel in. He could have stopped. When that happened I was like, ‘Uh, he might have to look into doing something else now.”
Pops: "He might have to look into doing something else now."
PG: "I was negative to it. Like, 'Man I'm done. I built up so much steam and now it's gone.'"
How doubts crept up to the George family after P's leg injury before ultimately receiving positive news pic.twitter.com/UInaLctJO0
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) September 2, 2024
George Sr. added that if the injury had happened to him, he wouldn’t have been able to come back from it the way his son did. However, George was motivated to return.
The veteran forward said that once the doctor told him that it was a clean break and that the bones would heal, he was confident that he’d be back playing basketball soon. However, he admitted that it was mentally difficult to bounce back and was haunted by negative thoughts.
Paul George was scared for his career
When George appeared on Carmelo Anthony’s 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast in July, he detailed the mental trauma that he went through due to his injury. Even though he was willing to work as hard as needed to make a comeback, he was scared for his career due to the uncertainties. He said,
“It was just like, at that point, I ain’t know if I was going to hoop again. I didn’t know like, how? My s**t was done… I was practicing with the team January-February, two months before that I really look nasty but the training staff was like, ‘You fine, medically cleared so I was just like f**k it, Imma just go out there and they say I can trust it. It helped having that, you know that little wiggle room.”
George astonishingly made a full recovery less than a year after suffering the injury and played the final six games of the regular season. The following year, he earned an All-Star nod for his exceptional performances and hasn’t looked back since.
The veteran forward is still chasing his first championship. However, no trophy or accolade will likely ever compare to the gratification he felt when he marked his return to the NBA.
