Two ACL tears to the same knee in the span of less than 26 months would be more than enough to break most men, but Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker is managing to keep a positive attitude.
Meeting with reporters on Thursday for the first time since his second ACL surgery, Parker spoke about the injury with an optimistic outlook.
“Attitude is longitude,” Parker said, per Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “That’s for everybody in life. If you think a certain way, you’re going to be down. But if you are seeing it that the glass is halfway full, things are going to work out.
“It’s going to be fun, to tell you the truth,” the former No. 2 overall pick added about his recovery program. “I love challenges. I love being in the position I am. I didn’t really feel like talking, but I feel like God has given me this for a reason, because He knows I can handle it … So I take that burden, because I know a lot of people can’t go through this.
“I don’t want to be the same player,” Parker concluded. “I wouldn’t be myself if I don’t challenge myself to do better, bigger things … I know I can be better.”
The 21-year-old Parker suffered the re-tear to his left knee on February 8 in a game against the Miami Heat (video here) and was given a 12-month recovery timetable shortly thereafter. He missed 11 months of action the first time he tore the ACL back in December 2014.
The real shame for Parker was that he was playing the best basketball of his young career, averaging career-highs in points (20.1), rebounds (6.1) and assists per game (2.8) and looked even more explosive and athletic than he had as a rookie pre-injury. But credit to him for staying upbeat and believing in himself to make it back from the recovery process for a second time as that will be half of the battle.
