I know this game means everything to you. The long hours in the gym, the extra reps, the sacrifices—you do it all because you love it. But what happens when things don’t go as planned? What happens when injury, doubt, or setbacks try to shake your confidence?
I’ve been there. Trust me, I know how hard it is to sit on the sidelines when all you want to do is play. After winning a 15U Nike National Championship, I was on top of my game—until a knee injury changed everything. I won’t lie—it was tough. But here’s what I learned, and what I want you to remember:
✨ Trust the process. The work you put in matters. Even when you can’t see progress right away, every small step counts. Believe that you’re moving forward, even on the tough days.
“In order to prepare myself to be back on the court, it was extremely important for me to recognize all of the work I put in within physical therapy and in the gym. I needed to trust the process, and myself, to know that going into the season, I was not a step behind. This also allowed me to realize that my knee was ready, so I didn’t need to second guess myself.”
💡 Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. I used to watch others recover faster and felt like I was falling behind. But your path is yours alone. Stay patient. Your comeback will be your story, not anyone else’s.
“One of my biggest struggles during my recovery was comparing my journey to others’. I would use social media and watch videos of people who had gone through the same injury and feel bad that I could not yet do something that they could do, or that their progress seemed to be moving faster than mine. However, this taught me that everyone’s recovery and everyone’s body is different. If you trust the process and give it your all, as well as stay mentally strong, you will return stronger and better than before.”
👀 See the game from a different angle. If you’re injured, use the time to study the game, learn plays, and improve your basketball IQ. You can grow even when you’re not on the court.
“Since I wasn’t physically playing the game, I was able to watch it, which allowed me to learn a lot.”
💪 Stay strong—physically and mentally. Rehab doesn’t stop when you’re cleared to play. Keep up with strength training and take care of your body so you come back stronger than before.
It is crucial to keep up with strength training even after you are cleared to ensure that your legs continue to get stronger and avoid any future injury.”
🧠 Mental toughness is everything. There will be doubts, but you have to remind yourself: You’re not behind. You’re right where you need to be.
“It’s important to take the rehabilitation process slow and day by day, as well as listen to your body. Having good days and bad days are normal within recovery, and that’s okay.”
So whatever challenges you face—injury, doubt, setbacks—just know they don’t define you. How you respond does. Keep pushing, keep believing, and know that the best version of you is still ahead.
You got this.
💙 Lexi