Already deep into his comeback season following a year on the sidelines due to a gruesome leg injury suffered early last season, Boston Celtics wing Gordon Hayward has yet to make the impact on the team that many expected from him when he signed on.
The 27-year-old recently opened up to ESPN's Jackie MacMullan, as he takes us through the process he has been taking on his road to recovery. According to Hayward himself, the physical recovery aspect is one thing; the psychological battle involved is a whole different monster.
On top of his rehab, the former All-Star forward has also had to undergo mental health counseling to help him deal with his unfortunate situation:
“It's hard,” Hayward admitted. “It's embarrassing. You want to be the guy that says, ‘I'm strong. I don't need any help.'”
To some extent, it seems that the mental aspect involved has been even tougher than the actual injury he sustained. Hayward shed some light on why this is the case:
Asked what has been the most vexing component of his uneven season, Hayward answered, “The most frustrating part is that I'm constantly being asked if I'm ‘back.'
“Back to what? Because the situation is completely different now.”
Gordon Hayward was an absolute stud prior to his injury, and unfortunately for him, this is the very standard people expect of him. It's going to be a tough road ahead for the 6-foot-8 forward, and we can only wish him all the best.
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