U of L's Lee won't let injury rattle him
The last time Damion Lee tore the anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees, he worked and worked and worked until he could come back to basketball, his true love.
He had what he calls one of the best years of his life in the game after that long rehabilitation process, and that experience buoys him on a rainy afternoon in January, when the former University of Louisville and Drexel University star prepared for surgery to repair the torn ACL in his other knee, his left knee, after the new injury derailed his budding professional hoops career.
"The game has been so great to me," said Lee, who underwent knee successful surgery on Monday. "It's only right I give my all to it."
Lee was waived by the NBA Development League's Maine Red Claws after his injury, a painful decision by the organization because, coach Scott Morrison said, the 6-foot-6 wing was not only "playing the best of anybody on the team" but also "setting a great example for the guys around him" with his positive attitude and outlook.
Lee averaged 17.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 34 minutes per game over 16 appearances with the Red Claws, and he swears he was just getting used to living by himself, cooking healthy – "I've got a couple meals I can chef up," he said – and traveling on a budget.
The Red Claws' trainers originally hoped it was just a bone bruise or a sprain, but Lee had the unfortunate task of calling his mom, Michelle Riddick, on Christmas Eve to break the news.
"I was really heartbroken for him," Riddick said. "Like any parent, it’s just, 'Oh my god, this is happening again. How could this happen to him?' I said we only had one day to cry, but I was pretty upset for him. As his mom, it was hard. I was upset this time."
But like they have when sadness and shock have hit before – from Lee's first knee surgery and a broken hand to the devastating death of Riddick's mother in 2011 to U of L's decision to sit out this past postseason and take away Lee's last chance to play in the NCAA tournament – Lee and his mom determined they had only one path forward.
For one, Riddick said, this knee ligament tear is only the ACL. Lee's first injury also included his MCL. And two, and Morrison agreed, this injury shouldn't detract too much from Lee's professional career, as long as rehab goes smoothly.
He is a cerebral player whose game is built around savvy and guile, not sheer athleticism.
"Many people have said to me, 'I'm surprised how positive he is about all this,'" Riddick said. "This is Damion. We do understand that God doesn’t make mistakes. He’s just going to be better than he was before."
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Lee has been in frequent touch with Trey Lewis, the former U of L graduate transfer who joined the Cards with Lee before last season and became one of his best friends.
Lewis, who was recently named an all-star in the Basketball Bundesliga in Germany, said he and Lee have been exchanging notes about the Book of Job in the Bible, a story about a righteous man whose faith in God is tested through a multitude of challenges.
"We talked a lot about how some things happen outside of our control, but it’s not our job to question it," Lewis said. "Instead we must trust that God has a plan."
Lee had his surgery in Louisville, and that's where he'll spend most of his rehab process. He'll have his former teammates, coaches and trainers around him as he works back toward full health, and Riddick plans to visit as much as possible.
"It just made sense to both of us for him to come back to Louisville because he has that support," said Riddick, who added that a Red Claws trainer suggested Lee return to his former college town. "The days when it’s dark – and there will be days when he’s down – it’s important to have a good, strong base around him that will support him and love him. What better place to have it? The love is just unreal."
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Over the past few U of L games, Lee sat behind the Cards' bench. He's usually in the locker room after the games, too, chopping it up with the teammates with whom he became close over last season.
He also wears a camera around his neck: Lee is a 24-year-old of many interests, from poetry and music to art and photography. He started an Instagram page – @dame0graphy – as a landing spot for his photos.
But he's planning to work when the time comes, just like he did the last time he tore his ACL when he was at Drexel. Once he can start working out again, he will make sure he is "diligent in everything" he does, Lee said, from lifting to form shooting.
He plans to watch and study film and immerse himself in basketball.
Above all else, Lee is planning on doing exactly what he's done every other time adversity hits: Strike a positive tone and focus on the next step, wherever it takes him.
"I have nothing to complain about," Lee said. "I know that there are people going through far worse situations than mine. Mine is based off the game of basketball, and I’m thankful to the game. I know I’ll be back in no time."
