SE: Stokes Quick to Recover from Injury, Patient in Return to Court
Feb 09, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Kamau Stokes heard a pop in his left foot, and he knew instantly it was not normal.
"I knew it was broke when I heard it," Stokes said. "I knew it but I didn't want to believe it. Then when I got to the hospital and saw it, I was, like, 'Dang, not again. Another injury.'
"I thought (my season) was over."
These thoughts ran through Stokes' mind the night of January 6, after he broke his left foot in a loss to Texas Tech, a team ranked No. 7 in the nation entering Saturday's 7 p.m., game in Bramlage Coliseum.
After having his freshman season shortened by an ACL injury, the idea of his junior season ending in similar fashion — stuck at the end of the bench in street clothes — was devastating.
But Stokes overcame the initial shock and dedicated himself to returning as quickly as possible. By January 29, less than a month after the injury, he was fully cleared. On February 3, he was back on the court.
"I would give all that credit to Luke (Sauber)," Stokes said of the team's athletic trainer. "I'm in rehab probably twice a day and he's just pushing me while I'm in there, trying to get me back (to 100 percent)."
While Stokes was out, K-State went on quite a tear. The Wildcats won five of their first six games after losing their starting point guard, who was averaging 13.4 points and 4.6 assists at the time.
"I'm definitely proud of them," Stokes said of his team, which recorded two wins over ranked opponents in his absence. "I told them we have to keep that up, whether I'm playing or not. They have to have a chip on their shoulder for the rest of the season."
Juniors Barry Brown and Dean Wade took their games to another level to carry K-State while Stokes was out. The emergence of his understudy, redshirt freshman point guard Cartier Diarra, was vital as well. In his first six starts, Diarra averaged 13.2 points and 3.5 assists.
"I'm definitely proud of him. He prepared for it, especially going up against me every day. He was definitely prepared for what was coming for him," Stokes said of Diarra. "I'm still behind him, just trying to help him out in every possible way."
Along the same lines, K-State head coach Bruce Weber has reminded Stokes to help his team out in every way he can while gradually working himself back to 100 percent.
"I've told him we need your intelligence, we need your leadership, we need your knowledge. He just has to be patient with himself. I think he wants it to be 100 percent, but it's not. One, his body's not. No matter what Luke does in the pool, Ben (O'Donnell) does in the weight room, it's not playing basketball. You have to play basketball to get back in shape," Weber said. "I told him to use it as a blessing, to use your gifts besides the speed and the quickness, use the other things and maybe in the long run it's going to make you a better player."
Stokes played 10 minutes off the bench in his first game back, a loss at West Virginia, and 15 in K-State's win at Texas on Wednesday. He only scored two points between the two games but dished out seven assists as opposed to two turnovers to give the Wildcats some valuable depth.
"I don't think it's a learning curve (coming back), but this time makes me learn the game," Stokes said. "It makes me see it from a different perspective and it helps me learn a lot from it."
As a competitor, Stokes said he feels like he's ready to take a sizable leap in minutes, but he understands and trusts the process. Right now, it's a marathon, not a sprint.
"They're looking to see what's best for me and my health moving forward and me playing the rest of the season," Stokes said. "I know they know what's right, and I believe in them."
Kamau Stokes heard a pop in his left foot, and he knew instantly it was not normal.
"I knew it was broke when I heard it," Stokes said. "I knew it but I didn't want to believe it. Then when I got to the hospital and saw it, I was, like, 'Dang, not again. Another injury.'
"I thought (my season) was over."
These thoughts ran through Stokes' mind the night of January 6, after he broke his left foot in a loss to Texas Tech, a team ranked No. 7 in the nation entering Saturday's 7 p.m., game in Bramlage Coliseum.
After having his freshman season shortened by an ACL injury, the idea of his junior season ending in similar fashion — stuck at the end of the bench in street clothes — was devastating.
But Stokes overcame the initial shock and dedicated himself to returning as quickly as possible. By January 29, less than a month after the injury, he was fully cleared. On February 3, he was back on the court.
"I would give all that credit to Luke (Sauber)," Stokes said of the team's athletic trainer. "I'm in rehab probably twice a day and he's just pushing me while I'm in there, trying to get me back (to 100 percent)."
While Stokes was out, K-State went on quite a tear. The Wildcats won five of their first six games after losing their starting point guard, who was averaging 13.4 points and 4.6 assists at the time.
"I'm definitely proud of them," Stokes said of his team, which recorded two wins over ranked opponents in his absence. "I told them we have to keep that up, whether I'm playing or not. They have to have a chip on their shoulder for the rest of the season."
Juniors Barry Brown and Dean Wade took their games to another level to carry K-State while Stokes was out. The emergence of his understudy, redshirt freshman point guard Cartier Diarra, was vital as well. In his first six starts, Diarra averaged 13.2 points and 3.5 assists.
"I'm definitely proud of him. He prepared for it, especially going up against me every day. He was definitely prepared for what was coming for him," Stokes said of Diarra. "I'm still behind him, just trying to help him out in every possible way."
Along the same lines, K-State head coach Bruce Weber has reminded Stokes to help his team out in every way he can while gradually working himself back to 100 percent.
"I've told him we need your intelligence, we need your leadership, we need your knowledge. He just has to be patient with himself. I think he wants it to be 100 percent, but it's not. One, his body's not. No matter what Luke does in the pool, Ben (O'Donnell) does in the weight room, it's not playing basketball. You have to play basketball to get back in shape," Weber said. "I told him to use it as a blessing, to use your gifts besides the speed and the quickness, use the other things and maybe in the long run it's going to make you a better player."
Stokes played 10 minutes off the bench in his first game back, a loss at West Virginia, and 15 in K-State's win at Texas on Wednesday. He only scored two points between the two games but dished out seven assists as opposed to two turnovers to give the Wildcats some valuable depth.
"I don't think it's a learning curve (coming back), but this time makes me learn the game," Stokes said. "It makes me see it from a different perspective and it helps me learn a lot from it."
As a competitor, Stokes said he feels like he's ready to take a sizable leap in minutes, but he understands and trusts the process. Right now, it's a marathon, not a sprint.
"They're looking to see what's best for me and my health moving forward and me playing the rest of the season," Stokes said. "I know they know what's right, and I believe in them."
Players Mentioned
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Texas Tech
Sunday, February 22
K-State Men's Basketball | Haggerty and Johnson Historic Night vs Baylor
Thursday, February 19
K-State Men's Basketball | Interim Head Coach Driscoll Press Conference vs Baylor
Wednesday, February 18
K-State Men's Basketball | Press Conference vs Baylor
Wednesday, February 18
