Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Taylor Hendricks, recovering from injury, aims for full recovery by May 2024.
- He's progressing well, running stairs, shooting, and gaining strength in the gym.
- Hendricks remains positive, credits faith, and anticipates contributing to the Jazz.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks sits on a sofa, a boot on his foot and a rack of basketballs nearby.
He throws a ball to try and turn off a lamp. He throws a ball to try and turn on a heater. He throws a ball to try and answer the door. It doesn't exactly work out.
It's a clever ad for Vivint Smart Home, for sure, but it also shows how Hendricks is recovering from an injury that left his teammates in tears — with a smile (and some weights).
"I can't imagine a person handling the situation that he's been in with a better disposition than Taylor has," Jazz coach Will Hardy said. "I truly have not seen one moment where I've been like, I need to go put my arm around him and make sure that he's OK."
Hendricks has progressed since that commercial was shot. He's walking now, running stairs and even inching toward being able to do full sprints. On Friday during shoortaround, teammate Brice Sensabaugh recorded him drilling top-of-the-key 3-pointers.
So, how close is he to getting back to the court?
"(The plan is) by May, I'll be 100%; but the way I'm feeling, I'll be ready way before then," Hendricks said on the Jazz broadcast during Utah's 140-112 loss to the Pacers Friday.
The Jazz clarified that the May date is for him to resume "basketball activities," not to be ready to play in games. He's not expected to suit up for Summer League.
Still, it's a positive update for a player who showed promise in the early season before the brutal injury stole his season. For his teammates and coaches, though, it's not a surprise.
"He's not playing, but he's on the bench, standing up, cheering, like, it's almost like he's playing," Keyonte George said. "He's in here every day, lifting, getting better. It's just been special to see his progress."
Why is he so positive? Hendricks credits that to his faith.
"My belief in Jesus Christ and me trusting his plan and knowing that he doesn't make mistakes," Hendricks said. "So it wasn't meant for me to play this season, but next year is going to be real fun."
That belief has allowed him to see the bright side of things and he's tried to take advantage of his time away. He's a bird's eye view of basketball, helping him understand the game better, and it's given him a chance to transform his body, too.
Gone is the lengthy young man from UCF; Hendricks has lived in the weight room, bulking up to 243 pounds.
"He's getting pretty big and strong, man, and he feels good about that," Hardy said. "We all talked at the beginning of this process that it's going to be really hard, but we also have to try to focus on some potential silver linings or some potential areas that can be focused on during this process. His strength is one of them, and I think he's attacked that head on."
His teammates have certainly noticed.
"Looking from last year and looking at him now, it's like two totally different people," Cody Williams said.
Hendricks said he thinks he'll slim back down once he can start running up and down the court again, but he wants to play around 230-235 pounds. That would be 15-20 pounds heavier than his listed weight, something he says will be "huge" for his game.
He's also different off the court, opening up more and more in the locker room.
"Maybe it was always there and he was just a little bit reserved when he first got here, but he has a much bigger voice in our locker room," Hardy said.
But he can't wait to have a role on the court again. As he's watched his team this season, he can't help but see moments where his defense and length could help the team.
The latest example? The fourth quarter on Friday, when the Pacers outscored the Jazz 42-18. Utah had just 11 stops in the entire second half — a defensive stopper certainly would have been helpful.
"The toughest part is just not being able to play, just coming to the games, and not being able to check in and help my guys," Hendricks said. "I feel like what I do could really help us and it's really what we're kind of missing a little bit."
