LONDON (AP) — West Ham striker Michail Antonio is “100%” confident he will play again as he recovers from a car crash that left him with a “completely shattered” leg and a realization “how close I was to dying.”
Antonio crashed his Ferrari into a tree just outside London on a wet and windy day on Dec. 7.
In an interview with the BBC, the Jamaica international said he broke his femur bone in four places and required an operation where surgeons “put a pole in my thigh with four bolts.”
Antonio, who turns 35 this month, recently went to see the remains of his car at a scrapyard. He said: “It gave me a weird feeling in my stomach. It just made me realize how close I was to dying.”
He has been told his rehabilitation will take “between six-to-12 months” before his leg heals properly, and feels he is “already two-to-three months ahead of where I should be."
“Yes, 100%. I will play again,” he said.
“The most difficult part is that I almost wasn’t there for my children,” added Antonio, who has six kids. “It’s just made me happy, positive about life, because I’ve got another chance at life.”
Antonio has made more than 300 appearances for West Ham since joining from Nottingham Forest in 2015, and played in all 14 games this season before the incident.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - West Ham's Michail Antonio runs into position during their English Premier League soccer match against Tottenham Hotspur, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, Oct 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland, file)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers held four starters out at Minnesota on Monday night, including stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, and the final member of their usual starting five was ejected in the third quarter when Andrew Nembhard got his second technical foul of the game.
Forward Aaron Nesmith was scratched for management of his left ankle injury that kept him out for 35 games earlier this season. Center Myles Turner was out with a bruised left hip.
Nembhard was punished for chucking the ball at Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who lowered a shoulder to check Nembhard's drive after he clipped Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley with an elbow to the chest.
Nembhard's first technical foul came midway through the first quarter. Gobert was also automatically ejected after an official replay review resulted in a Flagrant 2 foul call on him.
Siakam's first absence as a member of the Pacers, who acquired him 14 months ago in a trade with Toronto, was due to personal reasons. The three-time All-Star forward leads the team with an average of 20.9 points per game.
Haliburton sat with lower back soreness. An All-Star in each of the previous two seasons, Haliburton missed three games earlier this month because of a left hip flexor strain. The Pacers lost all three of those without their point guard.
Rookie reserve Johnny Furphy was also unavailable because of an illness, leaving the Pacers particularly short-handed against the surging Timberwolves. Nembhard moved to point guard and was joined in the original starting lineup by Bennedict Mathurin in the backcourt, Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker at the forward spots and Thomas Bryant at center.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, front, and Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner, right, reacts past Philadelphia 76ers' Adem Bona after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Indiana Pacers' Pascal Siakam, left, goes up for a shot past Philadelphia 76ers' Ricky Council IV during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton (0) passes the ball against Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
