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In May of 2021, Payton Rich was at her last middle school basketball practice of the season when she went to do a pivot move and bent her knee backward. This movement resulted in a stretched/swollen ACL and multiple bone bruises. On May 10th, a week after her injury, Payton went to go see a knee surgeon about her injury. Over the summer she spent time resting it, hoping at a chance to play in her freshman basketball season. Payton was in a wheelchair and wearing a leg brace for some time to help in the healing.