I have been playing basketball my whole life. As a point guard at the University of Illinois, I had the opportunity to play in the NCAA championship game. I was drafted 3rd overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2005 NBA Draft and played there until I was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2011. I've also played on the NBA All-Star Team (2010, 2011, and 2012) and won the gold medal twice with my USA Basketball teammates at the Olympics (2008, 2012). Naturally, there's been a lot of wear and tear on my ankles throughout my playing career. These injuries became quite debilitating, to the point where my ankles would swell up from simply walking. I developed a close relationship with the Brooklyn Nets team physicians, Dr. Riley Williams and Dr. Martin O’Malley, who suggested undergoing operative repairs of both ankles in May 2014. I rehabbed throughout the summer to get back onto the court for the beginning of the 2014-15 NBA season. My surgery was successful, and I’m excited to continue getting stronger on and off the court with the help of Hospital for Special Surgery.