Paul George's Road to Redemption

After a devastating leg injury, Indiana Pacers star Paul George seeks to edge his way back to dominance with USA Basketball and this upcoming NBA season.

As Indiana Pacers star Paul George was going to contest the shot of James Harden in a Las Vegas scrimmage for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, he landed awkwardly on his left leg in what appeared to be a very gruesome video.

His teammates and those watching at home looked in awe at what could possibly be a career-ending injury. Immediately after, coach Monty Williams and the rest of Team USA huddled for prayer for George’s recovery. The crowd chanted his name.

It was likely that George would miss the entire 2014-15 NBA season. But, even then, George was on a mission to get back on the court. After practicing and putting weight on his leg, George returned to the Pacers’ lineup in April of 2015 when he scored 13 points in 15 minutes to lead his team to a win over the Miami Heat.

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Last season, George, who averaged 23.1 points per game, was an All-Star and made it to the playoffs as the Pacers lost to the Toronto Raptors in the first round. George averaged 27.3 points in that round. It was clear that George wanted to leave that leg injury in the past.

Fast forward to a few months later and George is well on his way to a dominant season. Some are even claiming that he will be the MVP next season. But, it all starts with his return to USA Basketball in this summer’s Olympics.

George’s leg injury is a very popular topic of discussion for reporters in the Rio Olympics. “Man, at least 100 times,” said George in an interview with NBA.com when asked about how many times he gets questioned about that injury. He has even seemed to own the narrative as he expressed his interest with meeting a French Olympic gymnast who broke his leg.

But George obviously wants to leave that behind and move forward with Team USA. “My only focus now is preparing for this summer and preparing for a gold medal,” said George at Team USA’s training camp.

It definitely seemed like he had not given his leg injury any thought when he had a great performance against Venezuela, leading Team USA to a 2-0 record. George dropped 20 points, going 6-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 from three-point range. He showed his versatility by being dominant on both ends of the floor. George finished the game with a monstrous dunk.

If George, who is already an early MVP candidate, can play with that same intensity next season, the Indiana Pacers should be in even better shape. Larry Bird and the Pacers front office made significant moves this summer that made the team one of the winners of this offseason.

Those moves included acquiring key players like Jeff Teague from the Atlanta Hawks and Thaddeus Young from the Brooklyn Nets, and are expected to make the Pacers a top team in the East, giving LeBron James and the Cavaliers competition.

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While George’s injury seems like a popular issue to discuss, it is clear that the future of him and the Pacers is what is most important. Paul George has worked hard to get back on the court and distance himself away from that injury. And his only focus now is to leave all of that behind him in this upcoming NBA season.

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Paul George’s Road to Redemption

By Deasia Paige | Aug 13, 2016

After a devastating leg injury, Indiana Pacers star Paul George seeks to edge his way back to dominance with USA Basketball and this upcoming NBA season.