Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images
Former NBA big man Shawn Bradley opened up about his life following a January 2021 bicycle crash that left him paralyzed from the chest down during an interview with Brian Burnsed of Sports Illustrated (h/t TMZ Sports).
In addition to describing the crash that happened when a minivan hit the back of his bike, causing him to hit a parked car, tumble over it and land headfirst on the road, he revealed he has had suicidal thoughts while living his life in a wheelchair.
“Maybe it’d be better if this was just all over,” Bradley said he sometimes thinks. “Yes, those thoughts creep in—and they’re real. I can’t ever imagine myself acting on those thoughts, but I definitely have them.”
Bradley needs help eating and bathing and sometimes struggles to get around the house after the injury, but he said he is now focused on helping educate others on bike safety in the aftermath of the crash.
The 7’6″ BYU product had a memorable NBA career that started when he was the No. 2 overall pick of the 1993 draft.
He played through the 2004-05 campaign for the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks and even led the league in blocks per game in 1996-97. He averaged 8.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game during his career.
While he was never a superstar, he was a formidable rim protector who also provided rebounding as a double-double threat in his prime.
