SIOUX FALLS — Caden Hinker is back playing the game he loves. 

On Friday, the Mitchell High School graduate will play in his first game since March 2, 2024, completing a long road to recovery after two back surgeries forced him to miss the 2024-25 season.  

Hinker and the Augustana University men’s basketball team will play at the Tip-Off Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Nov. 14-15. While it will be 622 days since his last game action, Hinker doesn’t anticipate any nervousness playing the game he loves again. 

“I feel like my work I have done to get to this point, I am confident in it,” Hinker said. “I don’t think there will be a ton of nerves. I think there is going to be a lot of joy and I am just going to really try to enjoy the game.”

Hinker first experienced back and muscle spasms halfway through the 2024-25 season, but played through it. After the season, a doctor’s visit revealed two herniated disks in his back. 

Hinker had surgery, went through the rehab process and was ready for the start of the season. But in August 2024, felt back pain again while he was lifting weights and underwent another surgery. 

“My scar tissue was kind of starting to really take a hold of my nerves, and put a lot of pressure on them,” Hinker said. “That’s why I was having so much pain and the disk was in a lot more worse shape than they thought. I had those two surgeries. I had to go through the rehab process. Every athlete knows that’s never an easy thing to do.”

The second surgery forced Hinker to miss the entire season. 

“In my entire athletic career that was probably the hardest time I had to go through — physically and mentally,” Hinker said. “I was getting shots up here and there. But having to be sidelined that long is something that was kind of a culture shock for me to go through.”

Hinker experienced the highs and lows during the rehabilitation process. Hinker recalls walking gingerly after surgery and relied on his little brother, Gavin, to help him get out of bed.  

“I was sitting in my parents house as a 21-year old and I am like taking baby steps throughout the house,” Hinker said. “Then trying to transition outside to trying to walk around the block, to trying to walk a couple of times around the block. It’s a humbling experience.”

The doctors informed Hinker after the first surgery there was a 20% chance he would not be able to play competitively again. The odds only worsened after the second surgery. 

Hinker, however, never considered quitting basketball. 

“I knew there was going to be the ups and downs of rehab,” Hinker said. “But in the end I really did just want to get back to the court. There was never really a doubt.” 

Hinker began practicing and serving as a scout team player in March of last season. While Hinker was sidelined he gained a deeper appreciation for his favorite sport and watched the game with a different perspective. 

“It gives you a different look at it,” Hinker said. “It’s almost like you can analyze it from a different way. You see things unfold differently. You see the relationships between the players, between the coaches. You see ups and downs. It’s just a totally different way of looking at the game.”

Hinker leaned on his parents Clint and Heather, his entire family, coaches and teammates during his grueling recovery process, which he said had its ups and downs. 

“I am just glad I got the right people in my corner,” Hinker said. “When times do get tough they can help me out and help alleviate some of that pressure and those problems along the way. It just kind of makes it an easier process for me.”

A 6-foot-7 junior forward, Hinker was selected as an Augie team captain this season. He will graduate this year with a degree in marketing, and will pursue his masters degree in business administration or sports administration next year. 

As for this weekend, he’s ready to make his return to the court and is fully healthy.

“I am feeling good,” Hinker said. “We are almost done with our preseason. I am excited. I am antsy. I am ready to play.”