Getty Spencer DInwiddie, right, of the Nets
The Brooklyn Nets have been battling injuries to their starters all season. The first blow occurred during the third game of the season when Nets’ guard Spencer Dinwiddie partially tore his ACL during a matchup with the Charlotte Hornets. After the original diagnosis, Dinwiddie was ruled out for at least the remainder of this NBA season.
Despite the diagnosis ruling Dinwiddie out indefinitely, the Nets guard has refused to quit on himself and is still attempting to make a comeback to the team for the playoffs. His drive has put him ahead of the curve in his recovery.
A return to the Nets for Dinwiddie once seemed like pie in the sky as a torn ACL is typically a 12–18-month recovery. Fast forward from December to the present day and a 2021 return for the Nets’ rising star looks more realistic than ever.
The latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Spencer Dinwiddie Spotted Training With Terrell Owens
After doctors successfully completed reconstructive surgery on Dinwiddie’s torn ACL, the Nets guard started training ferociously to get back on the floor with his team, as they are hoping to make a run at the title this year. He has documented most of his rehab via his Instagram account to show fans how much progress he is making.
Dinwiddie was recently spotted working out with NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens in Los Angeles in a video posted by Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Sunday.
Follow the Heavy on Nets Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content out of Brooklyn!
Terrell Owens Knows All About Coming Back From Injury
If anyone knows about recovering from major injuries, it would be the Hall of Famer wide receiver. During his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Owens suffered a broken leg just weeks before the Super Bowl that would require surgery.
The Eagles made it to the big game without their star wide receiver and ‘T.O.’ had an opportunity to play in his first-ever Super Bowl. Owens refused to let doctors not clearing him to play stand in the way of that.
“Nobody in this room knew I was going to play this game,” Owens told reporters after the game via ESPN. “Nobody knew but me.”
“The media made it a situation to where they thought I was grandstanding, “Owens said. “But like I told a lot of people, If [that was] Brett Favre, they would have called him a warrior. For me, they said I was selfish. If I’m selfish, I’m selfish because I want to help my team win.”
The Eagles lost the game to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, but Owens put on one of the most inspiring performances in sports history as he finished with 9 catches for 122 yards on one leg.
Dinwiddie Is Anxious to Return
Much like Owens, Dinwiddie is hell-bent on returning to help his team win a championship this season. In his latest update, the Nets starter says that a return this season is beginning to look more and more like a reality.
“Ohh, that’s a tough one,” Dinwiddie said of his playoff status via Diamond Leung of The Athletic.
“Recovery’s going great…The ramp-up to be able to play in a playoff atmosphere is realistic.”
Spencer Dinwiddie was asked about status for the playoffs at Collision: “Ohh, that’s a tough one. Recovery’s going great…The ramp-up to be able to play in a playoff atmosphere is realistic.” Adds conditioning is main hurdle and he’s returned to the court in past couple weeks.
Dinwiddie Could Rejoin the Nets Soon
Dinwiddie has been away from the team for the bulk of the season as he is going through a rigorous rehab schedule. Nets head coach Steve Nash says that he could soon rejoin the team.
“I think there is a time where he is going to come back to the team, but I don’t know when that is, to be honest. I know he’s still right in the thick of his rehab. He’s very dedicated, doing all the work, and is ahead of schedule. I’m not sure when the date is,” Nash said via NetsDaily.
“I know there is the plan for him to come back and be around the guys when he gets the bulk of his rehab done.”
A Dinwiddie return to an already stacked roster could indeed be ‘scary hours’ for the rest of the NBA.
READ NEXT: Kyrie Irving Has Concerning Reaction to James Harden’s Injury Status