Nearly five years after former NBA star Shawn Bradley was paralyzed in a tragic biking accident, he was spotted in his wheelchair over the weekend at BIG3 basketball.
Bradley, accompanied by his wife Carrie, was seen interacting with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and then posing for photos with the Hall of Famer.
On Jan. 20, 2021, Bradley was rear-ended by a motorist while cycling near his Utah home, leaving him with a traumatic spinal-cord injury. No one was ever cited in the accident.
The now-53-year-old underwent neck fusion surgery and spent eight weeks undergoing rehabilitation at a local hospital.
Bradley ranks tied for third as the one of the tallest players in NBA history at 7-foot-6, alongside Tacko Fall and Yao Ming.
Only Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol, who have both been listed at 7-foot-7, were taller players to suit up in an NBA uniform.
Former NBA star Shawn Bradley was spotted over the weekend in his motorized wheelchair
Bradley played in the NBA for 12 seasons and got into a tragic biking accident in 2021
Bradley, a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, retired from the NBA after the 2005 season.
Bradley became an avid cyclist after retiring from the NBA in 2005, saying that the hobby helped him shed over 30 pounds at one point thanks, in part, to several rides of 100 or more miles.
He was the No 2 overall pick out of BYU in the 1993 NBA Draft to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In his third season, Bradley was traded to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Derrick Coleman, and later ended up as a Dallas Maverick as part of the deal that sent Sam Cassell and Jim Jackson to the Eastern Conference.
It was with the Mavericks that Bradley hit his stride in the NBA, averaging 2.1 blocks a game over nine seasons.
Over the years, Bradley has feeling in one hand and increased movement of his chest and back.
O’Neal was the first overall draft pick in 1992 and played against Bradley on several occasions.
