Just days after suffering a gruesome leg fracture, Kevin Ware spoke with ESPN's Rece Davis about the ordeal. The 20-year-old Louisville guard, who has been cleared to travel to the Final Four with his team, talked about how it felt to wake up in the hospital with the regional championship trophy that his teammates won after he was injured against Duke.
"It meant everything to me," Ware, trying to hold back tears, told Davis. "They went out there and did that for me you know? Words can't explain. I love those guys to death. I wouldn't trade them for the world. Those are the brothers I've never had. I just kept telling them, 'the job ain't done yet.'"
The sophomore broke his leg trying to contest a jumper from Duke's Tyler Thornton in the first half on Sunday. After he was stretchered off the court at Lucas Oil Stadium and taken to nearby Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, he underwent successful surgery. On Monday, Ware was out of bed and using crutches. He left the hospital on Tuesday.
"My full recovery I want to say," Ware said when asked what is his biggest concern at the moment. "When I'm by myself just looking at my leg. I've never been seriously injured outside of me breaking my hand. I had to really just ask myself, 'Is this a test? Is this supposed to happen? What's the meaning behind it?' Everything happens for a reason. Sooner or later I'll find out. I kind of feel like this is just an obstacle. This isn't something that's going to keep me down for long."