Hey everyone, it’s been a while. I’ve been off the grid, dealing with some stuff, and honestly, I needed a break. I think a lot of us get to that point where the noise just gets too loud, you know? That’s where I was. I was feeling pretty burned out from all the attention and the pressure. It was like being in a fishbowl, and I just wanted to swim in the deep end for a bit.
So, I stepped back. I stopped doing interviews, stopped showing up at events, and just focused on myself. It wasn’t easy. There were times I doubted myself, times I wondered if I was making the right decision. But I had this nagging feeling that I needed to do this, for me.
It all started back during my second season, I remember it like it was yesterday. I broke my foot in the third game. Man, that was rough. They put me on this crazy strict time limit, trying to control when I could play. I felt like they didn’t trust me to know my own body. That’s when things started to get a bit tense with the management.
During that time I did a lot of things:
- I played a ton of golf.
- I even got into riding those big motorcycles, the ones that roar like a lion.
- And yeah, I went through some personal stuff, like my divorce.
It was a period of my life full of ups and downs, just like anyone else’s. But those days made me who I am now, a little wiser and much stronger.
Then came the time to think about coming back to basketball. I always told myself I’d leave the game when I lost that fire, that drive to prove something. And I sure as hell didn’t want to be pushed out when my skills started to fade. That just wasn’t how I wanted to go out.
So, when I did decide to come back, I knew it had to be on my terms. I remember when I finally said those two words, “I’m back,” it was like a weight off my shoulders. I even switched my jersey number to 45 when I returned to play against the Pacers. It was a fresh start, a way to honor my dad without being stuck in the past.
That’s the story, folks. It’s been a journey, a real rollercoaster. But through it all, I learned a lot about myself, about what really matters. And now, I’m ready to share more, to connect more, and to just be me, without all the filters. Stick around, there’s a lot more to come.