Skip navigation
Site powered by
Latest news:
msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines: Violence widens ahead of Greek austerity vote

Collier's death might lead to change in physicals

NBA considering league-wide standards for all team checkups

NEW YORK - The NBA is considering a league-wide standard for physical exams following the death of Atlanta Hawks center Jason Collier.

Individual team doctors from each of the NBA’s 30 franchises currently determine the physical exams for their players.

“The medical protocols employed by our teams have traditionally been left to the best practices of team physicians,” NBA spokesman Tim Frank said. “However, in light of recent events that have occurred not just in the NBA but in other sports as well, we think it is prudent to follow up with our teams to find out what the norms are across the league.”

All players get physicals before training camp, and some teams use echocardiograms to detect heart problems. But not all teams use the tests and the league has no standard for physicals, the USA Today reported Thursday.

The 28-year-old Collier died Saturday after he had difficulty breathing at home. His agent, Richard Howell, said Collier may have had an enlarged heart.

San Francisco 49ers lineman Thomas Herrion died of a heart attack Aug. 20 following a preseason game in Denver.

Slide show
Image: Snee, 8, son of New York Giants player Chris Snee and head coach Coughlin's grandson plays in the confetti after the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl XLVI football game in Indianapolis
  The Week in Sports Pictures
The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more.

more photos

A number of NBA players have had heart-related problems, including New York Knicks forward Eddy Curry. The Knicks recently acquired the 22-year-old Curry from the Chicago Bulls, more than six months after he had an irregular heartbeat that caused him to miss the final 13 games of last season and the playoffs.

He was traded after refusing to take a DNA test to determine a possible genetic heart problem.

Minnesota guard Fred Hoiberg had open heart surgery in June and will miss the upcoming season. Houston forward Juwan Howard developed viral myocarditis, an infection of the heart, after getting the flu late last season, and required six months rest.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement
More news
Image: Kobe Bryant
AP
Kobe's shot lifts Lakers

Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto

  ProBasketballTalk tweets

  1. Loading the latest posts…

Source: Twitter. For more, follow @basketballtalk.

Video: NBA from NBC Sports
Lin on on 'Linsanity'
Knicks guard Jeremy Lin discusses the hype surrounding his recent rise in New York.

Slideshow
Washington Wizards v Charlotte Bobcats
  Get your cheer on
Check out some of the dancers from the NBA.

more photos

  Ask the NBA expert: Ira Winderman

Do you have a burning NBA question? Submit it now, and then check back for our reader mailbag.

Special feature
Image: LeBron James
Who will be MVP?
Interactive: Rank each player on a scale of 0 to 10 (10 = best player, 0 = barely worthy of consideration).

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Image: Blake Griffin
  NBA All-Star starters
A look at the starting lineups for the East and West teams.

more photos