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Taylor Hendricks isn’t going to fully feel like he’s a basketball player for a long time. His Nov. 6 surgery to repair his broken leg and dislocated ankle was just the first step of a rehab process that is expected to take most of the next calendar year.
The hope is to have Hendricks fully healed and ready to play when training camp starts next season. But, until then, the Jazz have to be really intentional about keeping Hendricks feeling like he’s a part of the group. A big step is going to be when he can travel with the team again.
Right now, he can be at the practice facility and at home games, but because he’s not able to get around without the help of a knee scooter or crutches while wearing a boot on his right leg, he can’t travel to away games.
“He’s gonna have enough moments of isolation,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “He’s gonna have enough moments where the team’s on the court practicing and he’s doing rehab work in the back. So there’s going to be enough instances where he feels separate.
“I think being on the road with team, is really important. I think being on the plane, the bus, being around his teammates, in those moments where you’re just one of the guys, you’re just a part of the team, I think is really important for him.”
The Jazz are hoping that Hendricks will be able to start traveling with the team next month. That doesn’t mean that they’ve been ignoring his situation waiting for him to be able to get on the road. They’ve had to be really intentional about how they keep Hendricks engaged.
Sometimes that means players going over to Hendricks house to take food or snacks that aren’t easy to get while he’s recovering. Sometimes it means extra phone calls or setting up times to play video games. It means making sure that the team is hearing his voice during film sessions and at practice. And sometimes it means manufacturing situations so that he is involved in the playing process, even if he’s not on the court.
“He drew the first play for a game, (a few) games ago — great play, John (Collins) scored,” Hardy said. “He was sitting over there, and the board was by him. So I sent the first group over and gave him the board and said, ‘Taylor’s gonna draw the first play for you.’ It was fun. It’s fun to watch him draw it and even more fun to listen to him explain it.”
That was for the Jazz’s Nov. 12 game against the Phoenix Suns. On the Jazz’s second trip down the court, when they were set, a couple screens were set, Collins got the ball near the post, got to a spot about 11 feet from the basket and scored on a little jumper. It’s not the most inventive play or even the best type of shot, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that it made Hendricks feel connected to the team.
“I need to be intentional, but also, you don’t have to overdo it,” Hardy said. “You can kind of take little moments here and there. Everybody likes Taylor, so it’s not hard for his teammates to find moments to connect with him.”
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Quote of the week
“I can’t imagine all the thoughts that would have gone through his head in the days following that. It was such a shocking moment for everybody.” — Jazz coach Will Hardy on Taylor Hendricks’ injury
From the archives
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Utah Jazz cough up 29 turnovers in blowout loss to OKC Thunder (Deseret News)
Everybody left wondering ‘what if’ after timeout flub in final seconds of Jazz loss to Lakers (Deseret News)
Taylor Hendricks is at the beginning of a long road back to full health (Deseret News)
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Dec. 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Utah Jazz vs. Phoenix Suns | KJZZ
Dec. 16 | 8:30 p.m. | Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Clippers | KJZZ