[Texas Aggie]

At 61, it will take you longer (obviously, given your injury issues), but if you are in otherwise good condition, you can do it. Here's a broad brush plan I'd advise if someone came to me:

-- 6 weeks of walking; start at at least 20 minutes per day (sounds like you might be able to do more) and work up to at least an hour; an hour and fifteen minutes is better. Around week 5, start to add brisk walking periods in there -- 1 minute brisk, 2 minutes regular, repeat. Do this 6 days a week minimum.

-- After 6 weeks, your legs should be more properly conditioned for more intense workouts. Warm up by walking for 20 minutes and then start a slow jog: first week, 30 second jog followed by 3:30 walk; repeat for at least 30 minutes, but continue to walk until no less than :45 minutes -- an hour is better. In other words, if you have to stop the interval jog, that's fine, but don't stop the workout.

-- Continue the :30 second interval jog until you've worked up to :45 minutes on the jog portion. At that point, start adding either :15 seconds or :30 seconds to the jog interval -- i.e. 45 second jog followed by a 3:15 minute walk; repeat until 45 minutes total. You will be doing the adding portion every week until you jog up to 2 minutes, then continue the progression with x minutes jogging, and 1 minute walking all the way to a full 15 minutes jog (i.e., 2 min jog/1 min walk; 3 min jog/1 min. walk; 4 min. jog/1 min walk, etc.)

When you can jog for 15 minutes straight -- and it may be sooner than I've laid out here, but don't rush the program too much -- you should be in sufficient condition to work basketball without much problem. Your body will now also be conditioned to take the wear and tear it couldn't take now.

This is a guideline, not a specific workout. You'll need to work something out that makes sense to you. But do not rush this or you will face injury issues again. Also, it may take you six months, but by basketball season, you should be able to do some games.

Oh, and the difference between you at 61 and those of us in our 40s: YOU can no longer take time off. Your workout program just became a year round one, except maybe for a few days every 3 months (i.e. 2 3 day instead of 6 day weeks)