After a long and grueling rehab, James Wiseman is finally back to playing for the Golden State Warriors. The former second-overall pick missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season due to an injury he suffered in his rookie year. Now, Wiseman is balling out for the defending champions as they look to repeat this season.

The road back to the hardcourt wasn’t easy, though, both physically and mentally. James Wiseman detailed the struggles he had during his injury rehab in a recent interview. The Warriors center painted a heartbreaking picture of a young man who dealt with the pain of trying to recover from a devastating injury. (via Uproxx)

“When I first got injured, I was crying so hard I couldn’t even get to my mom’s apartment,” James Wiseman recalls. “My mom had to carry me to her apartment. I was just crushed. Having a lot of nights where I was crying a lot, like a lot of times where I had thoughts like… I wish this happened differently.”

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The Warriors center also said that basic movement like getting up or going to the bathroom was difficult for him. Wiseman pushed through the pain, though, and now he’s finally back to playing basketball. It’s the culmination of a long and arduous journey for Wiseman.

With Wiseman back on the roster, the Warriors are looking to defend their hard-earned title from last season. The team’s free agency losses mean that there’s going to be a lot of burden on Wiseman to produce this season. After years of being away from the game, the center now has a chance to prove his pedigree to the fanbase.