Statistician For ORU, OKC Thunder Battling Life-Threatening Disease

You won't hear his voice or see him play on the basketball court, but Bill Hancock, the statistician, is essential to the game.

He records stats for several teams in Oklahoma, he ORU Golden Eagles and he Oklahoma City Thunder. 

"It's fast-paced, it's fast-moving,” Hancock said. “All kinds of actions all the time."

His favorite memories are ORU's Sweet Sixteen appearances and this year's Thunder team making it to the playoffs.

But the sport is his second love.

"To me, I couldn't ask for a better life,” Hancock said.

His first is his family.

"To have a wife, daughter and son that take care of you, encourage you,” Hancock said. “I do get down at times, a little depressed at times because of the situation, but they make me laugh. They cut up with me."

Hancock was diagnosed with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease seven years ago.

Everything was fine after his diagnosis until 2021.

"I was hospitalized for three weeks,” Hancock said. “The next month my belly began to swell, I couldn't breathe, I went to the emergency room and they did a procedure called paracentesis where they drain the fluid off your belly. Was told by the emergency room doctor, hey this is end-stage liver failure. Fortunately, he was incorrect.”

He's undergone weekly procedures for more than a year and was put on the liver transplant list.

Despite the challenges and all the waiting, Hancock continued working.

He made it through the regular season schedules, but unfortunately missed OKC's run in the playoffs.

"May 2nd was my last day to work,” Hancock said.

He watched every game from home, but there's nothing like being a part of the action.

"If you ever watch a game and say a team is behind and the fans start getting really loud and really excited, the players play that much harder,” Hancock said.

Like many teams, he's hoping to make his own comeback, with his biggest fans by his side.

"They keep telling us don't worry about it, things will work out, God's on your side, you got people praying for you,” Hancock said. “It'll all work out and I truly believe that. I am looking forward to the 2024-2025 seasons."

To support Bill and his family, you can CLICK HERE or donate to the “Billy and Lisa Hancock Fund” at MidFirst Bank.

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