Wichita State’s Anton Grady starts comeback with God’s plan in mind

Anton Grady took his first jump shots, his first tentative steps toward a return to basketball on Saturday afternoon, eight days after he fell paralyzed on the court in Orlando, Fla.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “My body is feeling a lot better. Today was basically Step 1 in the process of getting back on the basketball court. We’re still a big ways away, but I feel like we’ll be there pretty soon.”

Grady, a senior center from Cleveland, suffered a spinal concussion in the Nov. 27 game against Alabama in the AdvoCare Invitational. On Saturday, he shot a few jump shots and worked out a bit during WSU’s pregame shootaround. He watched most of the one-hour practice.

“It feels great to even be walking again,” he said. “It feels even better to be part of the team, to have the opportunity to play again. To go through that, it was tough.”

Grady, while turning to run, collided with Alabama player Dazon Ingram. Grady took a few, stumbling steps before falling to the court late in the game. He was taken from the court, conscious, unable to move, on a stretcher to a trauma hospital.

Grady said doctors told him it was a freak accident. He remained alert throughout, with minimal feeling in his fingers and toes, unable to move otherwise.

“Scary,” he said. “Panicking. When there’s nothing I could move, I had a mini-panic attack.”

It wasn’t until last Saturday morning he began to get information on his injury and gain some comfort. Strength gradually returned and by Sunday he was walking with the aid of crutches. He flew back to Wichita with the team on Sunday night.

Grady called that day the biggest test of his life.

“There’s a lot of things I’ve been through in my life, as far as my knees (surgeries) or how I was raised,” he said. “God has a plan for me. I feel like that was the biggest test he put me through so far.”

Grady said he leaned on family, friends, coaches and teammates during the recovery. Trainer Todd Fagan, he said, is doing an awesome job with his rehab and tests. The support from fans on social media and in person brightened his spirits.

“It’s been a blessing and an inspiration,” he said.

Grady said there is no timetable for his return. Doctors will test to make sure he is not at risk of further injury. He must regain physical strength and make sure he is mentally ready to return. The timetable, doctors told, depends on how his body reacts.

While he feels good, he also said he can tell his body is not quite right.

“You have to work your way back all the way through,” he said. “Mentally, it can bother you.”

All the support and encouraging words mean something to Grady. A few phrases stand out, ones that further his belief he can get through this and prosper.

“God has a plan for you,’” he said. “Someone told me that when God puts you through a lot, he must have a big plan for you. That stuck with me.”

This story was originally published December 5, 2015 at 7:42 PM with the headline "Wichita State’s Anton Grady starts comeback with God’s plan in mind."