As he received treatment, Nance’s life improved both on and off the court. He played well enough to be selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft. Two and a half seasons later, Nance was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was back in his hometown — the same place he decided he wasn’t going to quit. “I’m just thankful I didn’t, obviously,” Nance told Yahoo Sports.