I Did It, Kobe. I’m Playing Basketball Again

After spending my twenties in chronic pain, I’m healing by getting back to what I love

Back on the court, shooting a jump shot in Tokyo, Japan as a train rolls by. Photo by Vincent Van Patten

In the early evening, I grab my basketball and head to the court a short walk from where I’ve been staying since moving back to Los Angeles from Japan.

The asphalt is blue like the deep sea. The court is slightly slanted, surrounded by dark green grass. Pine trees hang above. Through their branches, the rays of the setting sun gleam white and gold, casting light upon the court’s surface.

I dribble, shoot, and run some full court layups. There’s a little kid, probably eight years old, shooting on the other basket.

It may seem like no big deal, shooting hoops with music in my ears, sweat dampening my shirt, the sun on my face. But basketball makes me feel like a kid. For nearly the entirety of my twenties, I lost that feeling. I thought I’d never play basketball again pain-free.

But here I am. Nothing lasts forever.

I’ve dealt with chronic pain in my back and hips throughout my twenties, believing it derived from an injury that never healed. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find any answers to lessen the pain through physical means — physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractors, amongst other…