I’ve written about a lot of inspirational and interesting comeback kids in my day.

I’m not sure, though, that I’ve come across a story like Tara O’Malley’s. She is starting her college basketball career as a junior walk-on at Illinois.

You remember Tara O’Malley, don’t you? You do if you’ve followed great South Side girls basketball.

From 2014 to 2018, she was the starting point guard for Mother McAuley. She earned all-area honors in her junior and senior seasons. As a junior, she passed the 1,000 mark in career points.

O’Malley was a great 3-point shooter. I saw her nail nine of them in one game against Queen of Peace.

It seemed only a matter of time before she announced her college playing choice.

But it didn’t happen. O’Malley had a different plan.

“I had talked to a couple of schools, but I was more focused on trying to get a Chick Evans Scholarship,” O’Malley said. “So I kind of stayed back on trying to put my name out there basketball-wise.

“I figured that wherever I went, maybe I could try to just play and see where it would take me.”

O’Malley did receive the scholarship, an award for caddies that fully covers housing and tuition. She chose Illinois, where she is studying community recreation, sport and tourism.

As for trying to “just play,” she actually did talk with Illinois coach Nancy Fahey about the possibility of being a walk-on.

That didn’t happen either. O’Malley suffered a broken hand in the summer of 2018 while playing in a charity softball tournament.

So she applied to be the Illini’s team manager. And when she got the job, she did it to the very best of her ability.

An impact player at McAuley, she was an impact person at Illinois.

“We were initially impressed with her personality and her work ethic,” Fahey said. “Then last season we had situations where she could handle the ball during practice as a manager.

“As things transpired, we were in need this year of a point guard. Now you don’t just let somebody come on a team. But knowing her and her commitment, it was a no-brainer.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, O’Malley started the school year learning at home. That changed after Fahey called and offered her a spot on the team.

“It was surreal,” O’Malley said. “I was the manager for two years, and I loved every second of it. I never thought I would have this opportunity.”

She might not have if — get this — she didn’t suffer that broken hand.

Like Fahey said, you don’t just give a spot to someone you didn’t recruit. But getting to know O’Malley for two seasons gave Fahey the confidence to make the choice.

O’Malley stayed in basketball shape by playing on Illinois’ club team. She also had that practice time while working as the manager.

“In those two years, I learned a lot,” O’Malley said. “I grew and developed what I had learned from the practices and watching the girls play. Having that time to develop really benefited me.

“After the season last March, with the COVID situation, I didn’t practice that much. But with great coaching and help from our strength and conditioning coach, I was able to mix in as quickly as possible after I got the call.”

O’Malley has been on the floor just once in the Illini’s four games. But it’s a long season, and she’s well aware of the valuable role she can play at practice.

Bench players, she said, contributed a lot to her success as a starter at Mother McAuley.

“I knew how much my teammates at McAuley worked in practice to make themselves better,” O’Malley said. “Even if they didn’t play, they pushed us to be able to perform in games. I was so grateful for those teammates.

“Now I’m kind of in their same position. I know I’m not going to be someone who even plays, but I will do my best to push my teammates and make them better.”

Guaranteed, she’ll do it with heart.