| 21 July 2011
To say A.J. Moye’s life over the last eight months has been tough would be a gross understatement.
For what the former Indiana Hoosier guard turned overseas pro from Iceland, Finland and two stops in Germany’s Beko BBL has endured certainly is a testimony to his faith. Because last November nobody would have imagined how drastic his life could change, not even Moye.
That’s when he took a shot in the head at practice with Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Skyliners.
That’s when he suffered the stroke.
That’s when pain extended beyond basketball.
“You must understand, I suffered an injury that was much more than physical,” Moye told Beyond the Beat.
“It was just so frustrating and disappointing.”
While the details surrounding Moye’s injury aren’t hazy for him to recall, there has certainly been a cloud that’s followed his outlook on life and basketball since he initially took an elbow to the temple from a teammate in practice last November. It knocked him out for about 20 minutes and when he came to, Moye tried to shake off the shot and keep practicing.
“I just kept playing because I had got hit in the head so much before. I didn’t get treatment for the concussion because I didn’t think I had one. When I went home that night, I went to sleep and then it hit like ‘boom’.”
The following day Moye attempted to suit up and play for the Skyliners, only to be rushed to the hospital instead where he slipped into a coma for two days.
“Having a stroke is like someone hitting the master reset button on your body. I was unconscious for about two days, so emotionally I don’t know feelings so to speak. I’m kind of cold now, where once I was very warm and outgoing. Then I have my physical faults, so it’s very trying and my fiancée left me, so that makes it about a thousand times harder to be honest.”
Moye said after the injury and stay in the hospital he wanted to get back on the court “immediately”.
“I really wanted to play, but you know…I know I can play. We (Skyliners) made it all the way back, and if we would have went to the Finals I might have played. I still could play and I still was pretty doggone good, but I didn’t like the feeling it was giving my body.
“It’s a real sticky situation,” Moye added.
That may not sound like the Moye some are familiar with. Instead, they picture the kid from Atlanta who played for Bob Knight at Indiana and ended up – all 6’2 of him- rejecting a 6’9 Carlos Boozer dunk attempt as the Hoosiers made a run in the 2002 Final Four. Soon after, Moye embarked on a professional basketball career overseas and thrived. He was named player of the year in the Finnish League and earned all-German League honors as well.
For Moye, that seems like forever ago. So much has happened since then, including undergoing extensive physical therapy sessions which Moye said he no longer has to attend. Still, each day is a challenge when it comes to getting his game right on the court.
“The right side of my body doesn’t really have the reaction time and the strength of the left side.”
As Moye regains the full strength on the right side (said to be about 90%) of his body, he remains close to the game.
With the support of the Skyliners, Moye was able to finish his “B license” (second highest degree in Germany in coaching) for being a coach in the German basketball system and chance to coach in sanctioned FIBA leagues.
But for as much as Moye will try his hand at coaching, he has not given up the hope of playing basketball professionally even despite the daily grind that comes with the battle.
“With my comeback I’ve stalled, not physically but I’m exhausted spiritually and mentally,” Moye admitted.
“They're (his playing days) not over whatsoever. I’ll probably go to Belgium next season.”
He may have been knocked down, but A.J. Moye is not out of the game just yet.
The fight goes on and so does keeping the faith.
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