Local Teen Commits To Play College Basketball 8 Months After Liver Transplant

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Following his successful liver transplant in September to repair the damage from stage 3 cirrhosis, forget basketball, Staphon Peterson had to learn how to walk again. Three months after the transplant Peterson started shooting but that didn’t go off without a hitch.

“He got so frustrated and discouraged,” Peterson’s mother Dr. Wendy Douglas recalled. “I was like listen, that’s why we’re here. We’re here so we can hit this milestone and keep moving forward.”

The milestones came quickly as Peterson upped his workouts in the gym all with his eyes still set on playing college ball in the Fall. Months removed from physically not being able to play basketball Peterson received not one, but two scholarship offers. Ultimately he committed to  St. Thomas University in Miami.

“I was shocked myself,” Peterson said. “I’m not going to lie, because I’ve always doubted myself. Because I always felt like I’m not where I needed to be. But when it happened it was just like wow, I was so in shock. I still haven’t taken everything in, for me to have two schools reach out to me and tell me they want me to play for them it’s amazing.”

Peterson says his game is at 80% of what it was pre surgery. He’ll enroll in August and is looking forward to taking things to the next level.

“They’re telling me they understand where I am but they’re going to push me to be even better than I was before.”

It’s also deeper than basketball for Peterson and his family, they plan on starting the Staphon Peterson Foundation to assist other athletes who have to go through transplants.