Faces Of The Big South: Radford’s Xavier Lipscomb

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Xavier Lipscomb has always had a love for the game of basketball.

“So I’ve always had a basketball in my hand since really when I was three years old,” Lipscomb said. “My dad put the mini hoop out and he would ask me to dunk and break the rim and I would always do that and I loved it but I started playing organized around seven at my local boys and girls club and that’s really when I started to play.”

The Radford guard is in his sophomore season with the Highlanders and is a consistent contributor to a squad battling for position in the Big South. Lipscomb didn’t make his way to Radford without some adversity, prior to his freshman year he had to get surgery on both of his legs to repair stress fractures.

“The injury that I sustained was from overuse,” Lipscomb said. “So going into AAU and then straight into high school season I really didn’t take any breaks because I was trying to train and prepare myself for the upcoming season. So that’s really what happened I didn’t have any breaks so my body started to you know break down on me”

Lipscomb had to re-learn how to do everything following surgery.

“When I first got out of surgery I broke down to my mom because I couldn’t walk. I really took for granted how much I use my legs and to be in a wheelchair for about two weeks really just dawned upon me how important and blessed I am to be able to have both legs.”

He went on to play 24 minutes per game his freshman year while starting 17 games. Radford might be struggling on the court this season, but Lipscomb is the true definition of a student-athlete thanks to his education.

“Radford really stood out to me because it has my major which is cybersecurity. And also a great accounting program because I’m a double major and also the athletic piece of it it gave me a place where I can focus on my studies and also improve on my basketball skills”