Shaun Livingston talks about the pain and perseverance in Peoria

While many of his teammates were sunning themselves in places like Las Vegas or the Caribbean, Shaun Livingston went home to Peoria, devastated last year by a tornado, and talked to local kids about basketball and perseverance in the face of adversity.

He had already returned to Peoria once this season.  Just before Christmas with the Nets on a long weekend, he returned to help out.  His foundation and department store Target donated $6,500 worth of gift cards to area families affected by the November tornado. This trip was more about inspiration, as 200 people, mostly kids, gathered downtown for an "An Evening with Shaun Livingston."

Livingston spoke in detail about his 2004 knee injury to let people know they can come back.  Adam Duvall of he Peoria Journal-Star writes...

The former lottery pick took the crowd through the play, the injury and his recovery.

"The rehab process was just as grueling, if not even worse, because of the amount of pain that I had to go through on a daily basis," Livingston "Plus, the mountain that I had to climb to just get back to play basketball.

"It was devastating being 21-years-old."

Livingston also provided those on hand with his personal dream team of players who've been his teammates over the years: Kevin Garnett, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Yao Ming and of course, himself.  "I'm starting," he said as the audience laughed.

The 6'7" Nets point guard also caught up with his sister, Sarah, one of the nation's top young women basketball players.  She's still in high school and stands 6'2"

• NBAer, Peoria native returns home to talk basketball at charity event - Adam Duvall - Peoria Star-Journal
• Livingstons catch up - Jeff Huth - News-Gazette
  

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