In a moment that transcended the sport, Aaliyah Gayles, a redshirt freshman for the USC women's basketball team, made an inspirational return to the court on Friday night, 574 days after surviving a horrific shooting incident where she sustained 18 gunshot wounds in her arms and legs.

The No. 21 USC Trojans were leading Florida Gulf Coast when Gayles checked into the game with just 1:40 remaining. Her appearance, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, was met with a standing ovation from her teammates and loud cheers from the crowd, marking a milestone in her remarkable journey of recovery.

“It felt good,” Gayles said after the game, via Katie Barnes of ESPN. “It boosted my confidence a little bit. I feel like I was back to my old self.”

The road to this moment was rife with with challenges for Gayles. On April 16, 2022, she was shot multiple times at a house party in North Las Vegas, suffering fractures in all four limbs. The severity of her injuries was daunting: 18 bullet holes and multiple surgeries required to repair the extensive damage. Remarkably, she had played in the prestigious Jordan Brand Classic in Chicago just the night before the incident.

In a testament to her commitment to basketball, Gayles signed her national letter of intent from her hospital bed, committing to USC and setting a goal to return to the sport. Her recovery was tough, involving intense rehabilitation, but just two months after the shooting, she began relearning to walk. She enrolled at USC for the fall semester and spent her freshman year focused on rehabilitating.

Friday's game was a special occasion for USC women's basketball, with the program honoring its 1983 and 1984 national championship teams. Among the attendees was USC legend Cheryl Miller, adding to the significance of Gayles' return.

Aaliyah Gayles' father, Dwight Gayles, shared his emotions with ESPN, saying “It sent chills through my body. She did it. She finally touched the floor of a USC basketball court.”

Before the shooting, Gayles, a 5-foot-9 guard, was a standout player, ranked as the No. 8 recruit in the 2022 class and a McDonald's All-American. Her high school career at Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas was impressive, averaging 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.5 steals, and 3.3 assists per game.

USC, now 2-0 for the season, looks ahead to their next game against Le Moyne on Monday.