A few years ago, Larry Sanders was one of the brightest young stars in the NBA. The 6-foot-11 big man out of VCU looked like a defensive menace for the Milwaukee Bucks, as he was hauling in rebounds and blocking shots at a remarkable rate. This eventually led to Sanders signing a four-year, $44 million deal in 2013.
But then injuries and various on- and off-court issues began to pile up, and it started looking like the Bucks made a bad investment. It turned out that basketball was causing issues for Sanders, namely depression, that led to him walking away from the NBA. He received half of the big extension that he signed with Milwaukee, decided that his happiness was more important than any sum of money that he could earn, and just like that, Sanders was gone.
But Sanders reportedly began having second-thoughts, and a return to the NBA didn’t seem all that impossible. Now, in an interview with The Vertical, Sanders said that he wants to get back to the Association somewhere down the road.
“Once my art, music and passions off the court feel stable, I will look into coming back,” Sanders told The Vertical. “I still love basketball. I want stability around me, and part of my mindset to leave was not to put all my eggs in one basket.
“I feel highly valuable on any team. There aren’t a lot of people who can bring my game to a team. I still play basketball all the time, staying in shape. I will need to make sure the situation is right for me.”
It was noted that there are plenty of reasons for concern with Sanders – namely that he needs to “show teams a renewed focus on the game” – but given the right opportunity, it’s not crazy to think that Sanders can eventually get back to being a solid NBA player.
(Via The Vertical)
