In 2021, a car accident derailed the hoops journey of Austrian star Bekki Kalaydjiev. Nearly two years and a long road to recovery later, she returned to normalcy and the basketball court, joining the 3x3 circuit in 2023 and continuing to make her mark in the sport to this day.
“Right after the accident, people didn't know if I was going to play again, but I always believed that with a strong mind and a positive mindset, you can honestly do anything,” Kalaydjiev said. “I went from a majority of my bones broken to competing against the best 3x3 players in the world again. So in my mind, that just tells me everything is possible. And, in the end, the only thing that mattered was that I believed that I could do it.”
Throughout the entire process, basketball was always on Bekki’s mind. In fact, it was one of the first things she mentioned after the accident. She said, “My coach back then, he said one of the first things I said was, ‘can I play basketball again?’ I didn't even remember that because I lost all my memory, but I knew if I had a goal that I wanted to reach, then nothing can stop me from doing that.”
It was a painstaking process to find her footing back on the court, but Bekki’s support system held her down during trying times. She said, “Without them, I don't know what I would have done. I’m so thankful for my parents. They just let me go back to America whenever I wanted. It was so important for me to not be afraid of things for the rest of my life. My teammates, coaches, they gave me the feeling that I'm so strong and so stubborn. They weren’t worried at all, they knew I’d get through it.”
The 3x3 family came out in droves in support of the Austrian star around the time of the incident. “The 3x3 community was so supportive from the start, so many players reached out. They gave me so much additional motivation to fight and get back there,” she added.
Despite a successful recovery process and an eventual return to fitness and competing again, growing pains stayed with the player, posing another challenge she had to overcome. She said, “When I started, I was still feeling the impacts. I have screws in so many places. Still to this day, I have pain or discomfort. When I'm mentally drained, it's so much worse.
“But it shows me that my mind again, is in control of the physical pain. That’s what gets me through practices and games. To think, ‘Okay Bekki, just think back to three years ago when you were not able to play.’ I get goosebumps all over my body, my stomach feels warm just thinking about it.”
Her return to 3x3 basketball came in June of 2023 with the European Games and the Women’s Series. Bekki looks back fondly on her first time back on the court.
“I was the happiest person. I had so much fun playing, I trusted my body, it was the best feeling ever. I was able to fully enjoy every practice. I just had so much gratitude, I can’t put it into words,” said the Austrian.
Despite taking the court again and repping Austria on the 3x3 court, Kalaydjiev was well aware of the changes she might have to face, “Practice has maybe changed a bit. Maybe with my left, I can't jump as high, but my mind adjusted accordingly to shift my play style. It helps me be better on the court in other ways.”
Her ability to shape her game to her ability has brought them success as she looks to now take the next step for Austria in the coming season. She said, “I’m super excited for this summer. We're starting with a new coach, and we're playing in the World Cup. My goal is to keep competing at this level. I'm just excited to start this summer off strong with my teammates and play some good tournaments.
“My personal goal is to just make my team better and keep growing as a person. Through the process. I have learned that basketball is not everything in life. I try not to get too impacted by either positives or negatives. I believe in finding a good balance so I can keep playing as long as I can.”
The story of Bekki Kalaydjiev is one of growth and perseverance. From complete uncertainty of her future in the sport, she has not only risen to the highest level in 3x3 but is only just getting started in her journey with the Austrian side. Her story stands as testament on how to approach adversity of any kind.
Speaking on her ambitions, Bekki said, “My goal is help others realize that it's really in them, and they can choose how they react to situations. Of course, sometimes it's harder and sometimes it's not, but I just want people to know that no matter what they're going through, anything is possible if they have the right mindset, anything is possible.”