What happened to Shawn Bradley? Accident revisited as former NBA star spotted in a wheelchair alongside Shaquille O’Neal in Dallas

Former NBA stars Shawn Bradley and Shaquille O’Neal were recently spotted together at the BIG3. 

The former on-court rivals posed together at a Dallas game. Bradley’s wife, Carrie Cannon, also accompanied him, as the ex-Dallas Mavericks star was seen in a wheelchair. The ex-NBA center has lived with paralysis for the last four years after he was involved in a traffic incident. 

Shaq & Shawn Bradley at the BIG3 pic.twitter.com/LpS7NE9yMC

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 17, 2025

Shawn Bradley shared the details of his January 2021 accident in March through the Dallas Mavericks. According to the official release, a vehicle in St. George, Utah, hit the former NBA pro. Bradley was riding his bicycle when he was struck by a motorist a block away from his home. 

The ex-basketball player suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury and was hospitalized. According to the Mavs, Shawn Bradley underwent neck fusion surgery and was still in rehabilitation in the hospital at the time. The team also shared: 

“With his wife Carrie at his side around the clock, and supported by an amazing team of rehabilitation specialists and family, Bradley is in good spirits. He plans to use his accident as a platform to bring greater public awareness to the importance of bicycle safety.” 

Bradley had expressed his appreciation for the well-wishes and prayers he received from family, friends, and fans.

Mark Cuban also shared a team statement, voicing his support for Shawn Bradley after the accident

Our thoughts are with Shawn and his family at this time. #MFFL pic.twitter.com/u42LcDRmQ1

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) March 17, 2021

The seven-footer center was the number 2 pick for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1993 NBA draft, before he moved to the New Jersey Nets two years later. Shawn Bradley joined the Mavs in 1997 and spent the entirety of his NBA career with the Dallas-based team. 

After he faced a life-altering spinal injury in 2021, Mark Cuban, then-majority owner of the Mavericks, shared a statement on the team’s behalf. He voiced the Mavs’ support for Bradley and was quoted as saying: 

"We are saddened to hear of Shawn's accident. Shawn has always been incredibly determined and shown a fighting spirit. We wish him nothing but the best in his recovery. He will always be a part of our Mavs family."

Donnie Nelson, the then-President of Basketball Operations and General Manager of the Mavericks, also expressed: 

"We are deeply saddened to hear of Shawn's injury and our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.” 

Nelson reflected upon Bradley’s career and role at the Mavericks and added: 

“In his eight- plus seasons in Dallas, Shawn demonstrated all of the qualities you want in a person representing your organization. He has always exhibited unwavering grit and determination and we are thinking of him at this difficult time. He is a Maverick for life."

While Shawn Bradley has refrained from making many public statements, he opened up about the aftermath of the bike accident and his injury in a 2022 Sports Illustrated (SI) interview. During the conversation, the ex-NBA pro reflected upon having s**cidal thoughts. He said: 

“I don’t know how I can ease the burden of me. Maybe it’d be better if this was just all over. Yes, those thoughts creep in—and they’re real. I can’t ever imagine myself acting on those thoughts, but I definitely have them.”

SI also spoke with Bradley’s occupational therapist, Philip Lamoreaux, at the time, who stated that the seven-foot-six former NBA center’s “size adds a bigger complexity” to his situation. Lamoreaux shared that Shawn’s physical build was expected to increase the mobility challenges by affecting “his ability to participate in life as he gets older.”