Isaiah Zierden (#21 / G / 6-3 / 185 lbs / Jr.)
It’s one thing thing to bounce back from an injury once. It is sheer determination to bounce back a second time from the same injury less than year later. For Isaiah Zierden, it is his drive that keeps him coming back for more, along with his desire to prove not only to himself, but to others, that he can still come back and be productive.
Zierden’s season ended early for the second season in a row with a knee injury at Butler in late January. Nine months earlier, Zierden’s season ended early when he dislocated his kneecap at Xavier. While he was able to rehab without surgery and get things back in order going into the 2014-15 season, the knee didn’t fare so well the second time around. After surgery and a steady rehab over the summer, Zierden is back for his junior season.
Zierden didn’t get a chance to play in Italy this summer, but he has been able to practice pretty much full time since official practices started this month. Before his injury last season, Zierden was a key scoring threat for the Bluejays with 16 points in the season opener, 18 points in the second game against Chicago State, and a career high of 20 points against North Carolina Central. While the Bluejays as a team did struggle at times, Zierden always seemed to be there to take the big shots, especially key three pointers in high profile wins against Oklahoma and Nebraska.
However, by January, the rehabbed knee was feeling the effects of the long season and Zierden was limited to 10 scoreless minutes against Seton Hall. His scoring production waned to single digits and less than two weeks later after a game at Butler, his season was over.
Fast forward to the 2015-16 season. Zierden is back on the court just like last year, but with more determination. With the addition of the new players like Mo Watson and Cole Huff, as well as several surprising freshman, Zierden may have the luxury of easing himself back into the game he loves and not feeling the pressure to have to be the scorer like he was heading into last season.
Check out a gallery of Isaiah Zierden photos here!
Creighton Career Stats (2013-15)
5.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 87-221 3FG (.375)
Q&A With Isaiah Zierden
Q: How much are you excited for this season?
A: “I don’t know if there is words to describe on how excited I am. Coming back from the injury and starting the season is really exciting for me and very emotional.”
Q: I know you are coming back from your knee injury. How tough really is that to come back from injury?
A: “A lot of people don’t really realize how much time that is. There were a lot of times, honestly, that I was laying in my room after doing rehab wondering to myself if I could really come back a second time. But, the doubts and haters are always there, so just mentally being able to get through the tough times, just one day at a time, is all you can really do with an injury.”
Q: What drives you to want to keep going?
A: “There were obviously people outside of my close family and friends that said that I wouldn’t be able to come back from it, even the first time, but they said that especially the second time. What really got me motivated the second time is that I had people close to me that told me I would never be the same. Looking at that, that was really the driving force. Like, ‘Well, you don’t believe in me and you are supposed to be close to me! I’m going to show you too.’ That is the motivation that I used to get through it.”
Q: There is a lot of physical part of rehabbing, but what is the mental part of that?
A: “I think honestly just kind of getting back and doing what you can. A couple months ago, it was just working out by myself without contact and I didn’t have a ton of confidence in it just getting back and working out for the first time. But now building off of that each day, you kind of go ‘Ok, I am fine with that, I can do this, and do this.’ Eventually it is back to, ‘I can trust it that nothing is going to happen now.’ The mental hurdle I would say is just trusting it.”
Q: Getting to this team now, how does this team look coming into this season compared to last year?
A: “I think the team chemistry is a lot different. Obviously we started off well last year. I think after we had some success and won some big games, it kind of fell apart and the team kind of split to say the least. I don’t think this team will do that. I think the team chemistry we have is that we don’t really care who gets the credit and glory. We really care about winning. I think that is the biggest thing and that will bring us success this year.”
Q: How much does the team look to you to be a leader on and off the court?
A: “I think it looks to be quite a bit. Obviously I wasn’t named a captain, but I don’t know that the title of captain matters…I have been around for 4 years now and gone through some tough stuff with injuries and I still found a way to come back. With me being a leader, I can teach these these young kids that not everything is going to be perfect, but that there are ways to fight through it and we can still find a way to do what we need to do. ”
Q: Is there a game that you are looking forward to?
A: “All of them! I’m hoping to play in all of them. I’d probably say one in March because I haven’t played a full month in March yet, but I am looking forward to every game.”