Aussie Boomers star Aron Baynes made his return to basketball last night, suiting up for the Brisbane Bullets in what was his first professional game in over a year.
The former NBA player suffered a freak injury in 2021 during the Tokyo Olympics, with an off-court fall causing internal bleeding that put pressure on Baynes’ spinal cord.
The centre was then rendered briefly paralysed and unable to walk, spending two months in a Japanese hospital before being able to return home to Japan.
Now back in good health, Baynes returned to the court in an NBL pre-season game, dominating with 14 points and six rebounds in just 13 minutes as the Bullets defeated the New Zealand Breakers.
Speaking on SENQ Mornings, Baynes was thrilled to be back playing the game he loves.
“Mate I’m happy, just a kid in a candy store, running around and enjoying it,” he said.
“Not at all (sore), that’s the good thing, because I think the lungs burnt out before the body for sure, definitely plenty left, just trying to get building and get right for the start of the season.
“Just thankful to be able to run out and around with the fellas last night and get out there, get back to doing what I love, pretty emotional before the game for myself, just thinking about a few things, just enjoyed every second of it.”
Despite the unfortunate reasoning behind his absence from basketball, Baynes credits his time away for changing his perspective on the game.
“(The last 12 months were) pretty emotional, a lot of learning, a lot of growing,” he said.
“Pretty crazy thinking the doctors weren’t sure if they were going to get anything, any paralysis gone from the left side of my body, to then being able to go out there, run around and yell at a few guys on the team, cheer them on, doing it on the court with them as well, that’s pretty awesome.
“I’m at a better mental place than ever before, with my family and with myself, I’m trying to bring that into the culture of Brisbane as well.
“Strength is being able to show your weakness, through that you can have others help build you up.”
For Baynes, the return to basketball was extra special, stepping onto the court alongside Boomers teammate Nathan Sobey.
The pair share a strong bond, demonstrated by the lengths Sobey went to visit Baynes when he was hospitalised in Japan, pretending to be a doctor to gain access.
“In Tokyo at the time, they had the hospital, we were all in lockdown, the only way that anyone from the Australian delegation was able to come in was if they were a doctor,” Baynes said.
“Six or seven occasions we had a couple of doctors who had never gone to medical school, I think ‘Doctor of Basketball’ was the proper term used for them, the team would just say ‘yeah that’s our two doctors coming in to check him.’
“They didn’t have to make up any fake credentials or anything, they kind of took us for our word.
“It was Sobey and (Matthew Dellavadova) walking in with the bronze medal, they gave it to me when I was in hospital, pretty special moment there.
“To able to share that with Sobes and then share the court last night, playing together again, both of us our first game back in a fair while, getting to go out and run around together, it wasn’t lost on both of us.”
Baynes will be a key figure in the upcoming NBL season, signing a two-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets earlier in the year after failing to receive an offer for an NBA return.
Aron Baynes is warming up ahead of the Brisbane Bullets’ preseason matchup with the NZ Breakers, here at the NBL Blitz in Darwin. I’m told he’ll make his debut with the team tonight. pic.twitter.com/jQqqcgL4Sf
— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) September 18, 2022