While the 23-year-old has been flooded with messages of support since news of the season-ending injury broke, few understand it quite like former Hawk Angus Glover.

Glover, now with the Kings, endured a famously torrid run of three ACL tears by the time he turned 21, two of them to the same knee.

He ultimately made it back on the floor and parlayed a return season with the Hawks into a Boomers singlet alongside Grida.

Now facing a similar task following season-ending surgery scheduled for Thursday, Grida will continue to seek his mate's informed counsel.

"I called him the day after it happened and had a good chat to Glover about doing it again," Grida said.

"He's really supportive and he's proven you can do it and come back just as athletic and aggressive as before.

"He's stayed in touch over the last 10 days, talking to me about surgery and giving me little tips and things like that. He's been a big help for me.

"Having done it once before, I know I can get back to just as good as I was before I did either of them. It's just going to be a bit of a process, it might take a bit longer, but I'll get there for sure.

"I'll get it done with surgery and come back this time just as strong as I did the first time."

Bitter experience left him unsurprised when scan results confirmed a full ACL tear after a seemingly innocuous lay-up approach.

"I knew right away," he said.

"I hadn't thought about it all since I came back [last season]. From the the very first practice I just played the way I usually would.

"I hadn't thought about my knee once since I got back. I just drove to the hoop, I planted my foot and my knee twisted around in a bit of a weird way.

"I was just pretty unlucky I think, there wasn't any contact in it or anything. Straight after I did it, I went and got and MRI and they told me that afternoon."

The task of it putting it out of his mind in future may prove tougher the second time around, but Grida is already taking literal steps toward recovery before even going under the knife.

"I try not to think about it too much but obviously doing it twice in the same knee is a bit worrying," he said.

"But I've got a lot more movement than I had the last time I did it. I'm walking around and I'm already doing some rehab.

"Hopefully that carries over to when I have surgery and then speeds things along a bit after that.

"People have been blowing my phone up a bit which is nice to hear and know I've got a lot of support out there. That just gives me more motivation to get back on the court."

Read more: Illawarra looking to use Trice release to its advantage

Coach Brian Goorjian showed huge faith in the 23-year-old last season, ensuring he returned to the rotation once he was fit and starting him in a crunch semi-finals decider in Perth last season.

He's made no secret of his intent to see the West Aussie build on that campaign, though it will now have to wait.

"It's Just really sad news for him," Goorjian said.

"Dan is a wonderful teammate and a fantastic ambassador for basketball in this region and I know the playing group and the entire Illawarra region will be feeling for him at the moment.

"He's still a young guy with a lot of basketball ahead of him so we will do our best to support him through this initial period, and then ensure he has the best possible environment around him to make a successful return to the court in due time.

"He's diligent and enthusiastic and I'm confident he will attack his rehab with that exact attitude."

As a silver lining, it could well see the incredible continuation of club stalwart Tim Coenraad's career, with the veteran having previously signed on as a shadow injury replacement.

The club is still on the lookout for a third import after releasing point-guard Travis Trice last week over his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to season tipoff.

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