Former Phoenix Suns center Aron Baynes will be playing basketball again for the NBL’s Brisbane Bullets after enduring a gruesome spinal cord injury in the Tokyo Olympics, his agent Daniel Moldovan told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
The injury left Baynes hospitalized for months and stirred doubt if he would be able to continue his basketball career.
After 11 months of rehab, including learning how to walk again, @aronbaynes is back at full strength and ready to set his trademark screens in the NBA again.
It’s an absolutely incredible comeback story, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for the Boomers BIG man. pic.twitter.com/FkBm8zD91L
— The NBL (@NBL) July 8, 2022
“(Aron) had to re-learn how to walk, hold a pen and he couldn’t even hug his own children after the Olympics,” his agent Daniel Moldovan said in early July.
After holding a private workout in Las Vegas for multiple NBA teams, Baynes agreed to play for the Bullets.
Baynes’ two-year deal includes an NBA opt-out that he can exercise at any point while playing in Australia.
Prior to accepting the deal with the Bullets, Baynes had offers to play in Europe and China. However, neither gave him the option to return to the NBA.
Baynes’ best statistical season came with the Suns back in 2019-20 where the center averaged 11.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He shot 48% shooting and 35% from behind the arc.
Baynes, 35, last played in the NBA for the Toronto Raptors during the 2020-21 season, averaging 6.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.