Taiwanese Star Blackie Chen Tore His ACL At This Guillemard Road Badminton Stadium 27 Years Ago

Most people revisit places that hold happy memories when travelling.

Taiwanese star Blackie Chen, however, returned to a spot in Singapore that changed the course of his life for a very different reason.

The 49-year-old former basketball player was recently in Singapore with his wife, Taiwanese singer Christine Fan, and their 11-year-old twin sons, River and Ryan. The family reportedly stayed at Capella Singapore.

In an Instagram Reel, Blackie visited the SBA Singapore Badminton Stadium on Guillemard Road, where he suffered the injury that eventually ended his professional basketball career.

“Back in 1999, this was where I tore my ACL. It’s filled with memories,” said Blackie as he walked into the sports hall, which has since been converted into badminton courts.

“I still remember being in so much pain after the injury that I couldn’t even imagine how I was going to walk afterward.”

According to reports, an opposing player accidentally fell onto Blackie's lower leg during a basketball match in Singapore, tearing the ACL in his left knee.

"I was in so much pain and when I regained consciousness I was already lying on the floor next to the benches. I was carried [off the courts]," he recalled.

The injury eventually forced Blackie to retire from professional basketball.

Despite the pain, he still remembers one unintentionally funny moment from that day.

A kind-hearted fan handed him a small bag of ice, prompting Blackie to ask for more.

"I asked her for more ice, she said: 'Oh I thought you wanted the ice for a cold drink like 100plus'. She thought I wanted a cold drink to calm down, I said: 'No, I want to apply an ice pack to my injury," he laughed.

Looking back, Blackie believes the career-ending injury ultimately opened another door for him.

“If I hadn’t retired early because of the injury, I might not have become the person I am today, and I might not be doing the things I’m doing now.”

Though he no longer plays professionally, basketball remains a big part of his life. Blackie is the founder of Taiwanese professional basketball league P. League+.

He also thanked friends from the Singapore Basketball Association for bringing him back to the place where, more than two decades ago, his life unexpectedly changed course.