The Boomers veteran was forced to watch Australia's historic Olympic bronze-medal play-off win in August from a Tokyo hospital -- a week after his tournament was ended by a freak accident which aggravated a neck injury.

Baynes suffered serious nerve damage and internal bleeding that was putting pressure on his spine when he slipped in the changeroom during a group game win over Italy.

Almost two weeks in a hospital in Japan's capital were spent mainly alone due to COVID-19 restrictions, with the 208cm centre left to ponder the worst.

"The loneliest time in my life was laying in that hospital, going in and out of consciousness, going over my life plan and my goals and just crying," Baynes told ESPN.

"My uncle Don had an accident 10 years ago. He's a quadriplegic.

"My family's had first-hand experience with this going down. I was so scared."

Finally able to stand again on his own, 11 days after his mystery fall, Baynes' next goal was to return to Australia.

That was no easy feat as special arrangements were made for his flight to Brisbane -- with almost another month in a local hospital for mandatory quarantine and further rehab.

It has been a six-month grind for the now 35-year-old to get himself back in shape but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Last week on Instagram, Baynes posted a photo of himself with his Olympic medal with the message, "The long road back. Grateful for it all."

On Wednesday he attended an NBL game in Brisbane and is desperate to make it back to the NBA, having been waived by the Toronto Raptors in August.

"I've got the want to get there... I don't know what the path will look like, but I'm going to give it one hell of a crack," he said.

Australian Associated Press