Perhaps no one understands what Gordon Hayward is going through better than Paul George.
The Oklahoma City Thunder forward essentially snapped his lower leg in half during a Team USA scrimmage prior to the 2014-15 season, so he came to plenty of people’s minds after Hayward suffered a similarly horrific leg injury six minutes into the Boston Celtics’ season opener Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. George said it was hard to him to watch, and he reached out to the Celtics forward after it happened.
“It just brought me back to (Las) Vegas and what had happened to me, my incident,” George told reporters Wednesday. “I felt — immediately I felt devastated. I was, like, nauseous watching it, just going back to that place. Immediately after it happened, I texted Gordon. We talked last night. I just tried to give him words of encouragement and tried to be there for him.”
George returned at the end of the 2014-15 season, but he was injured earlier than Hayward. There currently is no timetable for Hayward’s return.
The 27-year-old was an All-Star in the 2015-16 season, but George admitted he’s never really been the same since.
“You’ll always think about it,” George said. “I have a bump on my leg for the rest of my life, so I’ll always think about it. It’s always there. Again, just being on the court, I’m not as explosive, I’m not as bouncy as I was. It’s something I’ve got to live with now. Thankfully, I was able to gain mentally and learn the game a different way spending my time off, but it’s always going to be a part of his story.”
Hayward signed a four-year, $128 million contract with the Celtics this offseason.
Thumbnail photo via Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports Images
