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[Saba Sports News] Perry Jones lived his NBA dream when the Oklahoma City Thunder picked him 28th in the 2012 draft. But just a year later, his life was nearly cut short. On the Run Your Race podcast, Jones shared the frightening story of his near-death experience.
“In my second year, I got sick and almost died,” Jones recalled. It all started with a routine dentist visit before Summer League, where he received shots to numb his mouth but felt unusual pain during practice days later. He noticed his jaw wasn’t functioning properly and was soon struggling to even open his mouth.
As his condition worsened, Jones went back to the dentist, only to be rushed to the hospital. After multiple CAT scans, he was told he needed emergency surgery. Doctors revealed he had a virus spreading from his airway to his brain, which could have caused a fatal stroke within ten days.
Jones had to miss Summer League, and adding insult to injury, broadcasters reported he was out with a “toothache.” Watching that from his hospital bed, fighting for his life, Jones said, “I started crying.”
Though he recovered in time for the 2013-14 season, his NBA career was short-lived. Traded to the Celtics in 2015, he was waived shortly after. Jones later played in the G League and overseas, now continuing his career in Venezuela with Spartans Distrito Capital. Reflecting on his illness, you can’t help but wonder how things might have been different without it.