Boston Celtics veteran forward Gordon Hayward knows all too much the difficulties of coming back from a serious ankle injury.
So when he saw on Sunday that Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott had suffered a season-ending ankle injury in a game against the New York Giants, he reached out to help support his fellow athlete in a moment of need.
Drawing on his own experience with the same sort of brutal injury, he took to Twitter to share a message of support for Prescott, noting how when Los Angeles Clipper star Paul George did the same for him, it meant the world to him and his recovery process.
“After my injury, hearing from [Paul George], a guy who had been through it, made a huge difference,” shared Hayward in the tweet. “[Dak], if there’s anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to reach out. You’re not alone!”
George infamously shattered his tibia and fibula on an errant play while playing for USA Basketball in 2014, requiring several seasons to recover fully.
After my injury, hearing from @Yg_Trece, a guy who had been through it, made a huge difference. @dak, if there's anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to reach out. You're not alone!
— Gordon Hayward (@gordonhayward) October 13, 2020
Hayward similarly had a multi-season comeback to work through after the brutal ankle injury that occurred just moments into his career as a Celtic at the start of the 2017-18 season, only truly looking himself again in 2019-20.
The Butler product has previously credited George’s support as a key motivator during those toughest first months; it’s good to see people helping people, even if they happen to be household names.
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