His Turn: Tray Howard’s Road To Recovery and Loss Serves As Timely Inspiration

After suffering an ACL injury in '22 and the passing of a close friend, Glass City's guard is determined to return stronger than ever while sitting out '23 TBL season.

Over the course of the 2023 season in The Basketball League, players, coaches, and Team Market Owners alike will take time to openly share their compelling stories and individual journeys from around the country and overseas to ultimately reach the TBL. In their own words. In their own way. Written only by them.

This is his turn.

This is Tray Howard’s story.

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Toledo, Ohio: Friday, May 27th, 2022. I remember the day and moment like it was yesterday. It was the third quarter against the Dayton Flight and I was playing well. My team was winning. It was a fast break, two on one. I drove through both defenders then I heard a pop. I fell to the ground grabbing my right knee in pain. Instantly, I knew there was something wrong with it, but I didn’t think it was going to be a season ending injury like it has become. 

Sitting out this entire ‘23 season. Man, is it hard. 

Watching everyone get ready for the upcoming season is bittersweet. I love watching the work that some of the guys from the Glass City Wranglers are putting in like Clemmye Owens, Chris Darrington, and Kaleb Vaughn (Chris and Kaleb are both playing internationally right now, while Clemmye will be suiting-up for another TBL team this season). It’s hard adjusting to the changes physically mentally and emotionally because after all the work you put in, then an injury like this happens and you have to start from ground one. I have to learn how to run again, learn how to jump again, learn how to train my mind to trust in my abilities to cut again. When it first happened and I got my MRI results back, I was feeling down and thinking my career was over because of this setback and after all the work I put in. I had my surgery and I couldn’t put any pressure on my leg for six weeks, so I was just drowning in my thoughts and anxious to get back to doing what I love and that’s playing basketball.

Luckily, I have great people in my corner who want to see me be great and who gave me encouragement and told me that it’s not over. We just have to work 10-times harder when you come back and that’s just what I plan on doing. 

During the time of this unfortunate situation for me, another tragedy happened.

My close friend and personal trainer who I knew since we were kids, Melvin Thomas (pictured middle in above photo), passed away adding yet more pain to what I was already dealing with. He didn’t only train me, but he trained all the kids around the city of Toledo and he was really an advocate for the youth. All he wanted was to see everybody do good and it crushed me. When that happened I went into a real low point in my life because he was one of my biggest supporters. Losing him was like losing a brother, but my other teammates like Dave Zamora, Tony Kynard and trainer Jamal Brown picked up the slack for him. Those guys really motivate me. They dedicated this recovery time for me and they are treating it like it’s their recovery, by doing drills with me making sure we get the extra work in and just being there mentally for me. 

I thank them for that. 

Sitting out this season is really going to be hard for me.

Watching great basketball night in and night out in the TBL is electrifying and not being on the court is just going to make it hard to watch. I know the feeling of being under the bright lights on game night and it’s a feeling like no other. That feeling is going to be the feeling I need to feel, so it can give me the edge, the hunger, and the intensity I need to go hard and get back to playing in front of the great fans of in the TBL and Toledo. I know my fans and supporters, my coaches, and teammates are going to miss me out there this season but I promise you guys I’ll be back better and stronger so TBL watch out. 

I also want to thank Wendell Maxey of Around The Basketball League (ATBL) for covering my road to recovery and getting my insight on how I’m doing. It’s guys like him that truly loves doing his job and really respects us as athletes. I really appreciate him for always showing genuine support. I also want to thank the Magley Family – David and Evelyn – and Commissioner Carlnel Wiley for giving us this TBL platform to play professional basketball. When they come to the games, it’s always a good one. To my fans and supporters: see you guys soon. I can’t wait to be back out there on the floor doing what I love and giving the fans what they paid for – a show! 

Lastly, I want to thank God for giving me the strength to bounce back from an injury like this. All glory goes to Him, the man with the plan. 

Tray Howard is a guard with the Glass City Wranglers in the TBL. The Toledo,Ohio native played at Waite High School, Alpena Community College, and Tiffin University before turning professional. You can follow Tray Howard on Twitter @tray_hooper1.

Wendell Maxey is the author of Around The Basketball League and has written about professional basketball and sports for 19 years. He’s been featured on NBA.com, ESPN.com, USA Today, FOX Sports, and SLAM Magazine among other publications and media outlets. You can connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn or read through his archive on Linktree.