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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
NBA mulling formal concussion policy

Associated Press


NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the discussions Tuesday.

"The NBA Team Physicians Society has been studying the issue of concussion management for several years and each team follows its own treatment and return-to-play protocols," he said. "In addition, the league is working with a consulting neurologist concerning the possible adoption of a league-wide protocol."


Most recently, New Orleans point guard Chris Paul was taken off the floor on a stretcher on Sunday night after diving and hitting his forehead on Cleveland guard Ramon Sessions' right shoulder. He was diagnosed with a concussion.

Del Negro There's going to be physical contact, it's part of it. There's going to be collisions in the air and depending on how guys land and how vicious they are, you want to protect that.

-- Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro

"Concussions are something that I don't think we really realize how serious they are because they're kind of rare in our game. They happen more often in football, hockey, other sports like that," said Bucks guard Keyon Dooling, a vice president of the NBA players' union executive committee along with Paul.

"Our brain is our most powerful muscle, and if you've got anything off-kilter with that, it can be problematic," Dooling said recently.

The NBA and the players' union say they are tracking the number of head hits. Frank declined to name the neurologist involved with the league, but said they've been working on the issue extensively this season.

Basketball doesn't draw the same level of concern as in other sports such as hockey and football because there aren't as many violent head hits and fewer concussions.

"They seem to be really rare, but I did have one as a player," Pistons president Joe Dumars said. "I can't recall any of our guys over the years getting a concussion, but if it was to come up, we would absolutely exercise caution."

Hornets coach Monty Williams is dealing with Paul's injury after two of his own as a player while Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro believes the league has to balance player safety with how the game is played.

"They're trying to do different things with rules in terms of respect of the game and flagrant fouls and things to protect guys," Del Negro said. "There's a fine line there. The game is an instinct game. You want to react.



While the league has been working on policy, including a lengthy medical meeting during the All-Star break, Atlanta's Al Horford believes Paul's injury will have a bigger effect on players' views of concussions now.

"That opened a lot of people's eyes," he said.

Horford's teammate, Jamal Crawford, said players often can't think in their own best interests.

"As athletes, you want to be out there. Your competitive nature takes over. You don't want to come out of the game. So sometimes you need somebody who knows more about it to step in and say, 'No, you're not," Crawford said. "That doesn't need to be (the player's) call, because it can have long-term effects."


Penguins center Sidney Crosby has been out since Jan. 6, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed a game after sustaining two concussions and Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP, took part in a spring training "B" game on Tuesday -- the first time he's played since a concussion sidelined him in July.



The actual numbers could be higher.


Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who told the AP last month that there needed to be a league-wide policy, didn't miss a game with his concussion. Carlos Delfino's initial diagnosis was a neck strain before he began having lingering symptoms, while Corey Maggette missed two games.

Ilyasova's injury was immediately ruled a concussion after he collided with Jon Brockman in practice two weeks ago, and there's no timetable for his return.


"Getting conked on the head was kind of like a reality -- at any moment, this can all be taken away," Frye said after that game. "Anything messing with your head is serious."