His grandfather Bill Garrett in the late 1940s was the first black Big Ten Conference player in the academic NCAA. The Boston Celtics chose him in the draft, but he did not play in the NBA because he was drafted into the army. He then played for Harlem Globetrotters, and died of a heart attack at the age of 45. Bill’s son, Billy Garrett Sr., played football in college and later became a basketball coach. He has worked in high school and at several colleges and is currently the basketball director of De Paul. On her team, he led his son, Billy Garrett, Junior.
Gwiazdor Czarnych Słupsk inherited not only basketball talent from his grandfather and father. He also inherited sickle cell anemia, fortunately in its milder form. His red blood cells are not round, but sickle-shaped – due to their curvature, they can stick and block the blood flow in the veins. The resulting disrupted oxygen transport can cause muscle pain, infections, and frightening chest tightness. In more severe cases – weakening eyesight, necrosis of organs, heart attack and even death.
– When you are born with such anemia, you often hear: “Unfortunately, you cannot do this, you cannot do that.” Professional sport? This is a goal so distant that it may seem impossible – Garrett told American journalists a few years ago.
And they asked because in 2018 Billy became the first basketball player with such a diagnosis to play in the NBA. He signed a ten-day contract with the New York Knicks, throwing an average of 6.5 points in four games. The episode was short, but for Billy – wonderful.
Hard training and life-threatening condition
His path to the NBA was difficult not only because only a handful of basketball players from around the world make it to the league. In high school and then in college, Garrett had collapses that led to his admission to the hospital. “Endurance is the biggest challenge,” Billy explained a few years ago. – I motivate myself to work hard, I push my limits, but such an approach can cause a serious crisis.
He had several crises in which Garrett could fear for his life. – When my dad was a coach at the University of Iowa, I participated in his team’s training sessions. Once we exercised in a hall that had no air conditioning, it was stuffy. And as a teenage boy, I wanted to play all the time, compete. I exaggerated and started to feel terrible.
Then the spleen rang and it enlarged to such an extent that it significantly decreased the number of red blood cells in the body. Garrett needed a blood transfusion and spent four days in the hospital. In 2014, while he was already studying at De Paul, his knee began to ache during an air trip to the game. The red blood cells are jammed again. When Billy was hospitalized, he was dehydrated, vomited, and his condition was once again life-threatening.
Difficult times taught him how to take care of himself. – From today’s perspective, I will say that these health crises, these collapses made me realize what exactly I have to do to try to become a professional athlete. I never had any doubts that I wanted to be one, and then I realized what path I needed to get to my goal. I started to get to know my body – says Billy Sport.pl.
“I absolutely can’t forget anything”
Sickle cell disease is incurable, but there are ways to reduce its symptoms. – Proper diet, hydration and rest are essential. As you can see, these aren’t special things, every athlete cares about that, says Garrett. But he points out: “But I absolutely can’t forget anything, my life is based on plan, regularity,” says the black basketball player. The day begins with a bottle of water and ends with eight hours of sleep ahead of me.
In Słupsk, however, he trains at full capacity. – Before signing the contract, we were aware of Billy’s health problems, but while working with him, we did not observe any, absolutely no signs that would suggest that he needs rest or a break in training – says Łukasz Seweryn, Black’s second coach.
And he adds that Garrett often arranges additional individual training, during which he works on the weaknesses. – Sometimes it is so that he is not only warm, but already sweaty before the whole team starts training – Seweryn adds.
– I have been playing professionally for the fifth year and I can avoid health crises. I know how much I can, I know how to regenerate. I take care of myself – emphasizes Garrett, who after an episode in the NBA also played in France and Greece, and in 2021 he won the G League championship, where NBA clubs have their branches. For Lakeland Magic, he scored an average of 11.7 points, 5.3 assists.
“Minutes more important than points, collections or assists”
In the Polish Premier League, the 197 cm tall, all-round perimeter is a distinctive figure. For Czarni he scores the most points (17.2 per game), as for the circuit team he collects a lot of balls (on average 4.4), he also scores a solid portion of assists (4.1). But what’s impressive about his health problems is the game time. The 34 minutes Garrett spends on average on the court is the highest average not only in Black, but in the league as a whole.
– I have worked hard to play as I play and to play as much as I play. These minutes are more important to me than points, rebounds or assists – Billy laughs. – I remember when I started, what problems and challenges I had before me. As a kid I got tired quickly, it happened that I ended up in the hospital and my relatives were worried about my life.
In the case of sickle cell anemia, the question of life expectancy, unfortunately, arises. Often much shorter than in healthy people. Garrett had to answer these difficult questions while he was still playing in the USA. – Well, if I have to live shorter, there is not much I can do about it – said the player three years ago in an interview with The Undefeated. – I try not to think about it at all, I’m doing my own thing. And if it really does happen that at the age of 45, 50, 55, complications arise, then I will have to deal with them. I am healthy for now.
With a new champion for the championship
In Słupsk, Billy has everything you need to think about success – health, form and determination to fight for the championship. – I always fight for them, that’s my character – says the basketball player. – In Słupsk, we have a team perfectly selected by the coach, we believe in ourselves, we complement each other, we know our roles. I know we are a newcomer, but I really think about the championship – emphasizes Garrett.
“Billy is our leader, but we know we’re just a stop for him,” says Seweryn. – He knows that after this season he may find himself in a better environment, to a better league. That’s why he works so hard on himself – adds the second Black coach.
“I work because I want to win,” Garrett goes back to square one. The coach’s son and basketball player’s grandson knows what’s most important in team sports, but in the end he nods. – You know, I want to go up. In two or three years I would like to be at the highest European level, maybe even in the Euroleague. And if it fails, I will go home. To the NBA – he smiles at the end.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
