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misterearl
Posts: 38786
Alba Posts: 0
Joined: 11/16/2004
Member: #799
USA
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Speaking of Curry....
let us send a prayer up for him and Etan Thomas while we are kvetching over dude's weights:
Wizards' Thomas Has Heart Ailment
Irregularity Could Threaten Career
By Ivan Carter
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
RICHMOND, Oct. 2 -- Veteran Washington Wizards center Etan Thomas did not participate when training camp opened Tuesday after a recent cardiac test revealed an irregularity that could potentially be career-threatening.
Thomas, who was slated to compete with Brendan Haywood for the starting center job, learned of the test results late last week following a routine physical, according to Ernie Grunfeld, the team's president. Thomas remained in Washington on Tuesday awaiting the results of further tests.
The team has not set a timeline for a possible return, and Coach Eddie Jordan indicated that he did not expect Thomas to be available before training camp breaks on Saturday.
"It's shocking and our thoughts are with him," Jordan said. "We talked [Monday] night and he's very disappointed. He's concerned and we're all concerned, but everything is in the early stages right now and it's going to be some time before we know the extent of it after all of the medical examinations."
"When we heard about the news this morning I just gave him a prayer and I've had him in my thoughts all day," said forward Antawn Jamison, who has played with Thomas since the 2004-05 season. "It's tough to not know if you are going to play the game of basketball again. The only thing we can do now is pray that he's going to be able to play and that everything works out. The most important thing is his health and his family. This is one of those situations where basketball is very secondary."
Medical personnel in the NBA have been increasingly cautious with heart issues since the death of former Atlanta Hawks center Jason Collier in October 2005.
Collier, who had never had any major health problems previously diagnosed, died of a sudden heart rhythm disturbance caused by an abnormally enlarged heart.
In 2005, then-Chicago Bulls center Eddy Curry was diagnosed as having susceptibility to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a potentially fatal heart condition that was linked to the deaths of Hank Gathers and Reggie Lewis.
Curry was eventually traded to the New York Knicks, where he is entering his third season with the team. Former Minnesota Timberwolves guard Fred Hoiberg was forced to retire after the 2005-06 season when it was discovered that he had an aneurysm in his aortic root, a condition that could have been fatal had Hoiberg continued to play.
Grunfeld said the Wizards would be "cautious" while evaluating Thomas and said the team is awaiting the results of more testing before determining his status. Grunfeld added that Thomas had not had cardiac irregularities previously diagnosed.
"It's hard to swallow," said guard Gilbert Arenas, who has played with Thomas since 2003. "I know I went through a knee injury and that's nothing like what he's going through. I know it's going to take him awhile mentally to bounce back from it because it is his career being jeopardized. Etan and his family have to be strong and he has our support."
once a knick always a knick
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10/2/2007 11:17 PM
