Dix on the road to recovery
With the calendar close to turning to March, Josh Dix would normally be preparing with his Council Bluffs Lincoln teammates for a run to the 4A state tournament in the state of Iowa.
Instead the 6-foot-5 shooting guard and future Hawkeye is working diligently on his rehabilitation following a gruesome injury that resulted in a broken tibia and fibula in his right leg, ending his season in late January.
The talented guard was averaging 19.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assist per game before his season ending injury. One bright spot from all of this is that Dix was able to come to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Tuesday night to watch a game in-person for the first time.
“It was crazy and electric in the arena,” Dix said.
It was a special night with Iowa beating Michigan State by 26 points and the program retiring the #55 worn by Luka Garza. It also allowed Dix to get a better feel for what’s ahead for him next year.
“Watching the games on TV is one, thing, but you really get a better feel in-person about how physical the game is and how tough you have to be to play in the Big Ten.”
Dix was also able to meet with the Iowa team physician before the game so he could get a look at how his injured right leg is healing.
“He has been talking to my doctor back home and they have been in touch with my physical therapist as well. Everyone has been communicating and we are all working together on the process.”
That process is still in the early stages. Dix is currently doing physical therapy back home in Council Bluffs and that will continue until June, when he is schedule to arrive on the Iowa campus.
“When I get there in June they said they hope that I can start to do individual workouts and shooting drills,” he said. “Then in late August or early September I am hoping that it will be a full go type of thing.”
One thing that Dix has really appreciated since the injury is the support that he has received from the Iowa coaches and players.
“Ever since the injury the coaches have been reaching out to me and asking if I need anything and showing support,” Dix said. “The players were all texting me right after I got hurt to make sure I was going to be ok. A big part of the reason that I picked Iowa was because of the coaches and the players and how they made me feel like I was part of the family here and I have felt that even more now.”