After bruising his spinal cord almost 14 months ago, Bucks guard TJ Ford has finally been cleared to resume basketball.  

"I was excited to finally be able to touch a basketball -- with permission," Ford said.

For still has a long way to go and in six weeks he will undergo another battery of tests that will hopefully give him clearance for contact workouts.

"It was a big sigh of relief. But at the same time, I understand how much work I have to put in," Ford said.

"I didn't lose anything," he said. "I didn't lose my game."