Haynes finds his way to Division I

BRADENTON — Shedrick Haynes is an earthling’s version of the bionic man. With a 42-inch vertical leap, he can soar above the rim and give the impression he is flying.

Even more astonishing is that two years ago he couldn’t run and was learning how to do things most people take for granted such as bending his knee.

A former football and basketball standout at Palmetto High, Haynes’ athletic career seemed to be dead when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during a football game in October 2007.

But Haynes learned death can be a tricky thing. It brought his dreams back to life.

In an operation that some in the medical profession consider high risk, Haynes resurrected his career thanks to a tendon he got off a cadaver. He knows little about the deceased individual who donated the body part, but he feels a debt of gratitude.

Haynes injured his ACL so badly, it could not be reconstructed. His build made it difficult to take a tendon off of another area of his body and make it into an ACL.

“Most people don’t pick a cadaver, but the doctor said it was the best thing for me despite the risks,” Haynes said. “The rehab took a long time, and I wasn’t released from the doctor for more than a year after the operation.

“The cadaver it came from was healthy, which is about all I know about that. Fortunately my body accepted (the tendon). I have a 36-inch vertical when standing, and 42 when I take a step and am faster.”

The 6-foot, 185-pound Haynes played two years of basketball at Palmetto High and was the starting quarterback his junior year. When his father James was replaced as the Tigers’ head football coach before his senior year, Shedrick transferred to Booker but never played high school basketball again and was home schooled because of the injury.

He had the surgery December 30, 2007, and couldn’t play until the following fall when he joined the Manatee Community College basketball team.

Haynes showed flashes of his old self, but it wasn’t until last season at Lackawanna, a junior college in Scranton, Pa., when he really shined. He led his team in scoring (19 ppg) and was one of the country’s top juco 3-point shooters. He made 98 treys and shot 42 percent from beyond the arc and 76 percent from the free-throw line.

Haynes never doubted he would play again, though others were skeptical. When you do an ACL cadaver transplant, there is always the chance of your body rejecting it and other problems, according to medical research.

Last summer, Haynes went to an All-American showcase camp in Tulsa, Okla., that attracted hundreds of college coaches and was selected the second-best guard there. University of South Florida head coach Stan Heath saw him play and offered him a scholarship in January, which he accepted.

It could be a perfect fit. USF is in dire need of 3-point shooters, and Haynes has turned himself into a lethal marksman from beyond the arc. He also brings a lot of athleticism, which is needed to play defense in the Big East.

Lackawanna head coach Mike Netti believes Heath is getting a diamond in the rough since Haynes was overlooked because he didn’t play his senior year of high school.

“Shed is a kid with God-given athleticism,” Netti said. “We took the approach that if you do A, B, and C like improve your ball handling and shooting, you will be a success because you have the other intangibles. He did a good job to become a Big East basketball player, not just a Big East athlete.

“He was our floor general and had to create all his shots and pressure the ball. Teams started to play off him, face guarding him and grabbing him, but he battled through all of that.”

For Haynes, who turns 22 on March 31, the rehabilitation was similar to learning how to walk. He had to play with a brace at MCC and was never 100 percent, though his skills were evident.

“My recovery took longer than most because it involved a tendon from a cadaver, and it was very uncomfortable at first,” said Haynes, who lives in Bradenton. “Just being able to bend my knee took awhile, and the recovery process took more than a year. I did a lot of work in the pool and strengthening exercises.

“It was risky doing it this way, but I felt I had to do it. My favorite sport has always been basketball. I played football to make my father happy. Now, I am happy just to be playing and looking forward to competing on the highest level of college basketball.”