Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward has been hitting the gym hard this summer, and he's doing without restrictions, according to a report from Brian Robb of 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Gordon Hayward has been working out with no restrictions all summer he says. He’s very eager for season to begin.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) August 20, 2019
Hayward endured one of the more gruesome injuries in recent NBA history just five minutes into his debut with the Celtics. After medical evaluations, it was determined that he had suffered a dislocated left ankle and fractured left tibia. He managed to recover, but he described his rehabilitation process as one of the most difficult things he has done in his life.
“The hardest part of the whole process was the mental challenge,” Hayward said via CelticsWire. “I think you find the fight within yourself.”
“There were so many days when I woke up and was like ‘Man, here we go again,' Hayward added. “It was the most difficult thing I’ve done.”
Hayward returned to action last season. He made 72 appearances during the 2018-19 campaign, racking up averages of 11.5 points on 46.6 percent shooting from the field (33.3 percent from beyond the arc), 4.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and just under one steal (0.9) in 25.9 minutes per outing.
Hayward's numbers were down quite a bit when compared to his pre-injury statistics, but it was his first season back on the floor. And though it's not clear how Hayward will perform in the coming campaign, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge is excited for the possibilities:
“I’m really excited for Gordon’s upcoming season,” Ainge said of Hayward. “He’s here every day working out with five or six coaches. I’m not worried about Gordon.”
Hayward's drive to recovery is an inspirational story. Some thought he would never play again. Yet, here he is, gearing up for another season with the Celtics.
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