Emery County Progress Archive
On Jan. 20, former Emery High basketball star Shawn Bradley was riding his bike in St. George when he was struck from behind by a moving vehicle. The collision sent him into a parked car, which threw him over his handle bars and onto his back.
As a result, Bradley sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury, which required surgery to fuse his neck. He is paralyzed from the chest down and has very limited use of his right arm and no movement in his left arm.
Bradley is in intensive rehab everyday, and although the doctors have seen improvement from the beginning, it is small. Generally speaking, it takes 18 months for spinal swelling to go down, so medical professionals will not know the full extent of the injuries for over a year from now.
According to multiple reports, Bradley is in good spirits and has wrapped his head around the lasting results of the incident. He has great support around him and hopes to speak out about bicycle safety in the future.
Many around the nation know Bradley as the 7’6″ center who was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the second overall pick in 1993. He played 12 years in the NBA, primarily with the Dallas Mavericks. However, lifers in Emery County recall the kid that was part of the great state championship teams in 1989 and 1990 when the Spartans won back-to-back state titles in 2A and 3A.
Several people have spoken out about the accident, including Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. “We are saddened to hear of Shawn’s accident. Shawn has always been incredibly determined and shown a fighting spirit,” Cuban released in a statement. “We wish him nothing but the best in his recovery. He will always be a part of our Mavs family.”