Confronted, that is, with the real possibility of being separated before even being together.

Decisions, decisions.

Curtis had to make one. Susan, too.

"It was huge. I mean, I love Stanford. I loved playing basketball there. But, at the same time, I didn't feel like that was the main determining factor," he says. "If I would have stayed, I would have stayed so I could be with Susan another year.

"In the end, the smartest decision professionally would be to . . . play (in the NBA)."

Orlando selected Borchardt No. 18 overall in the 2002 draft, then immediately traded him to Utah.

Susan's call came next.

Give up the game? "That would never have happened," she says. "I love basketball."

Transferring to the University of Utah briefly was entertained.

Ultimately, staying at Stanford made most sense — no matter how much separation anxiety the psychology major in Susan anticipated.

"I love being at Stanford," she says of a school whose coach, Tara VanDerveer, is one of basketball's best.

Yet Susan also loves a husband whose work keeps him a constant plane-ride away.

Fortunately, he is strong enough to understand her predicament.

"He's been so helpful, so supportive," she says. "He basically said, 'I want you to do what you want to do.' "

"It's important to her," he says. "She tore her ACL her first two years (in college) — and this is a girl who was first-team All-American in high school. She wanted an opportunity to play, and see what she could do. I know what that feels like."

Does he ever.

The summer before what was to have been his first NBA season, Curtis — a 7-footer — needed pin-replacement surgery in his bad foot. He would miss all of the 2002-03 season. In training camp prior to this season, the foot was fine — but he broke a finger. Out a month. Five weeks later, in just his 16th game for the Jazz, Borchardt braced a fall to the floor. The wrist snapped, leaving his hand hanging like no one's should.

"He's had a really rough year, in a lot of respects," Susan says. "That's a hard situation to be in, so I just try to be supportive and keep him motivated."

The NBA full-access cable package Curtis bought Susan no longer gets as much use as in November, but their unlimited-minutes phone plan is a steal.

"Without her," Curtis says, "I wouldn't have a whole lot to look forward to.

"As an athlete," he adds, "you define yourself by your performance. And when you're unable to perform because of an injury, there's such a sense — especially for me, personally — of worthlessness."