Injury and Patience for Azurá Stevens
In the initial weeks of the Chicago Sky’s season, veteran forward Azurá Stevens expressed frustration. She was weary of sidelining due to a bone bruise sustained at the end of the Unrivaled season. Months away from basketball and a challenging free-agency period compounded her challenge. The true stress hit when she saw her teammates on the court this month.
Stevens shared her frustrations with longtime teammate Courtney Vandersloot. The process felt prolonged. Her knee ached, and daily routines dragged. Vandersloot, eleven months into her own recovery from a torn ACL, understood. She advised: continue pushing through, as the end is nearer than it seems. Though these words offered little comfort initially, they held truth as Stevens returned to the court last Saturday at Wintrust Arena, the site of her championship victory with the Sky.
Reflecting on the Journey
Stevens’ career has been shaped by ongoing injuries. A significant achievement came last season when she played every regular-season game, averaging 28.4 minutes for the Los Angeles Sparks. However, a collision during the Unrivaled season resulted in a bone bruise, a different type of injury, marking her break.
Bone bruises don’t indicate knee fragility, but they show the impact’s severity. Healing these requires time. Stevens adhered to advice, rested, and spent time with family, including a vacation to Jamaica. But frustration persisted as the season began without her.
“This injury tested my patience the most,” Stevens admitted. She added, “Everything has a purpose. Each injury taught me about myself and spurred my growth as a player and person.”
Evolving Team Support in Chicago
Over the years, Stevens gained deep insights into injury recovery. But Chicago’s recovery process evolved dramatically since her last play for the Sky. The team hired Jess Cohen as director of health and human performance, adding eight new performance staffers, including athletic trainers and a massage therapist.
This change provided comprehensive support during recovery. Before, players outsourced care but now benefit from expertise like Cohen’s. Her NBA experience reassured Stevens of the resources’ quality. The team’s new downtown training location facilitated third-party care logistics.
“They’re not improvising,” Stevens noted. She appreciated the updated staff, saying, “I can really testify to the growth here.”
Embracing Positivity
Despite returning to the court, Stevens remains under a strict minutes restriction. She’s embracing positivity, viewing limited playtime as an efficiency exercise.
“I’m not out there for 40 minutes making mistakes. You must focus on details each minute,” Stevens said.
However, minutes limitations present challenges for coach Tyler Marsh. Playing time restrictions can disrupt on-court momentum.
Currently, both Marsh and Stevens find solace knowing these limits are temporary. The Sky aims to gradually increase her play to 25-28 minutes per game, without a specific timeline. Eventually, the Sky will revolve around Stevens’ play. It’s only a matter of time and effort.
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