Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. spent his rookie season last year earning his status as a fan favorite with a combination of solid defense, hustle, and of course, highlight-reel dunks. He flashed an ever-improving skill set during the Las Vegas Summer League in July and appears to be poised for a big year in 2016-2017.
With the ouster of Byron Scott and the arrival of new coach Luke Walton, the young Lakers appear to be bursting with excitement and optimism about the upcoming season. Nance made sure to mention how thrilled he is during a recent Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America chat on Twitter:
@CCFA @NBA I CANT WAIT!!! I feel healthy and our team is ready to bounce back after last year #ibdchat
— Larry Nance Jr (@Larrydn22) September 2, 2016
While Nance’s Lakers-related comments were certainly good to hear, the focus of the chat was to allow Nance to connect with others who are also afflicted with Crohn’s disease, which causes inflammation of the intestinal tract. Crohn’s can be extremely difficult to live with, and Nance’s success as a professional athlete despite the disease has made him an inspiration to others.
Nance uses his status as a professional athlete to help raise awareness of the disease, and also to offer encouragement to those who are struggling, as he did in this tweet:
@tripleb67 @CCFA @CCFA advice I would give is, if you have a dream, pursue it. Make your Ibd the passenger, not the driver #ibdchat
— Larry Nance Jr (@Larrydn22) September 2, 2016
For a professional sports franchise like the Lakers, it’s always a welcome sight when a player can reach out and have a positive impact on the community the way that Nance has. While fans, players, and media alike can often get caught up in wins and losses, players like Nance remind us that sports can stretch beyond the realm of entertainment and change lives for the better.