Quarterback Kevin Ware was down after a bad block shot and thought he had sprained his ankle. It’s an unpleasant injury, but it can happen to anyone. Before the basketball player could look at his leg, the coach ran towards him. Kevin knew from the expression on his face that everything was much more serious.
Ware’s injury has been cited as the worst in history. Kevin broke his shin bone protruding from his leg. Despite the victim being surrounded by his teammates, the gruesome footage hit the television broadcast and spread around the world.
By then, Ware was playing for the Louisville Cardinals for its third season. The quarterback came out in “garbage time” when he first entered the roster. Kevin was even suspended from matches for his behavior and disrespect for his partners.
Everything changed after a candid conversation with head coach Rick Pitino. His mentor told Ware that if he didn’t get his head, he would be kicked out of the team. The player listened and became an important part of the team in the third season in “Louisville.”
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“What words can help with an open fracture?”
In March 2013, something terrible happened during the quarterfinals of the major student league NCAA. The opponents were the Duke Blue Devils, which gave Louisville a serious fight. In the first half of the match, Ware wanted to block.
Kevin flew past the ball and landed on his right foot. The limb could not withstand the load and was bent in half. The bone has come out of the skin.
Ware landed near the Louisville bench, so his teammates were the first to witness an open break. One began to back away, the others closed their eyes. One of the basketball players could not contain his emotions and started to cry. Soon after, Pitino rushed over to Kevin, who couldn’t believe what was happening.
“His bone was sticking out of his leg. I’ve never seen anything like it in my 30-year basketball career. I immediately started cheering for Kevin. With an open fracture?” The coach remembered.
Surprisingly, the game was not cancelled. 10 minutes later, Ware was lifted off the ground and the match continued. When the quarterback was “loaded” onto a stretcher, he shouted to his partners:
Of course, Kevin just wanted to cheer the team up. It worked! “Louisville” finally managed to win.
Ware spent two hours in the operating room. Surgeons put everything in place, but for a long time could not understand the cause of the fracture. It was assumed that the basketball player had problems with the bone structure. However, the survey results did not show any deviations. Experts decided on an ordinary accident. Kevin just landed on his leg at a bad angle, so the bones came loose.
Photos and videos of the injury quickly circulated in the media. The next day, Kevin woke up famous. Words of support were voiced by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, James Harden.
“I just called Kevin. He’s doing well and promises to return to the pitch. I’m sure he will please us more than once with the game. I express my support for Ware. I wish him and his family patience and strength.” “Bryant wrote on Twitter.
Kevin was in the hospital for several weeks. During this time, “Louisville” managed to become the winner of the NCAA. The next morning, Pitino took the trophy and came to the hospital with an assistant. The quarterback could not hold back his tears when he saw the coaches in the ward. The basketball player even described that morning as the best moment of his life.
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Kevin had been recovering for seven months and returned to the field in November. When he first appeared in an official match, the audience greeted the player with a standing ovation. Ware wasn’t afraid to go to joints or take block shots. It was helpful to her that she had never watched the video of the injury.
“It’s one of those things I never want to see. Like when you were a kid when they showed you a horror movie. My fracture is a nightmare I never want to face again. I haven’t even seen a picture of it. I would have refused all the money in the world if I had been asked to look at it,” said Kevin.
His teammates couldn’t forget what they saw. In training, they were afraid of flying to Kevin or getting into a rough place. And fans began to perceive Ware as an outstanding player who had recovered from a serious injury. He didn’t want to be treated special, so the quarterback moved to play at another college.
“I’ve always thought of myself as an ordinary, quiet guy. I didn’t like special attention. But it’s pretty hard to hide when even Michelle Obama mentions you,” Kevin explained.
Ware entered the NBA draft in 2016. He was horrified that neither team showed any interest in signing a quarterback. Then he went on tours in different countries and leagues. Kevin managed to play in Finland, Greece and even Iraq. The basketball player has been playing for Argentina team Deportivo Hispano since last year.
No one knows how Ware’s career would have turned out if he hadn’t received that terrible wound 10 years ago. However, such serious damage is unlikely to be inconclusive. Despite this, Kevin feels great. Indeed, in other countries, the fans do not look at him and the opponents play with all their might.
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Source: Ria
With a passion for storytelling and reporting, I am an experienced writer and Editor with a focus on sports. As an Author at News Unrolled, I write engaging stories on the latest developments in the world of sports. My articles have been featured on numerous global media outlets and my work has been highly praised by renowned editors.
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