http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=1743505 is this getting kind of scary to anyone? this is twice that this has happened to TJ now. once in a pickup game at gregory gym and now in the NBA. MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee rookie point guard T.J. Ford was taken off the court on a stretcher after falling hard during the fourth quarter of the Bucks' game against Minnesota on Tuesday night. He was taken to St. Luke's Medical Center, where X-rays revealed a sprained neck, team spokesman Dan Smyczek said. Ford was hospitalized overnight as a precaution and will miss the team's game at Boston on Wednesday night. Fellow point guard Damon Jones said Ford told teammates while he lay motionless on the floor that he had no feeling in his extremities and that team medical personnel later told the players after the game that Ford had regained feeling in his extremities as he was being carried off the court to an ambulance. "I was praying for him and wished him the best. As they were taking him out through the tunnel, he regained feeling, so that is a blessing," Jones said. "They say he's 100 percent better, so I guess our players were answered." Ford fell hard after scoring and getting fouled by Mark Madsen on a drive to the basket with 4:34 left. "I heard the impact on the floor and from that point on I just started praying for him," Jones said. It appeared as though Ford fell on his tailbone or a hip, possibly jarring his neck. He rolled onto his side, grimacing in pain. "I hate to see anybody carried off on a stretcher, let alone one of my teammates. It was a scary situation," forward Joe Smith said. "I was right there and saw him come down. It's tough to see somebody carried off like that." Ford stayed down for several minutes before being strapped to a stretcher and taken off the court to an ovation from the crowd and players. The Bucks trailed 96-85 when Ford got hurt and pulled within three points in the final minute before falling 108-102. Bucks coach Terry Porter said: "I did not get a chance to see a replay, so I don't know exactly how he landed. But whenever they bring the board out, you have to be concerned." Porter wasn't aware that Ford had a similarly scary fall last spring. Ford got hurt playing a pickup basketball game last April while still at the University of Texas. Although school officials and Ford refused to reveal the nature of the injury, citing federal privacy laws, a witness said Ford was slapped on the back of the neck and lay motionless after falling to the floor. He was treated at a hospital afterward. Before Ford's freshman season at Texas began in the fall of 2001, he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the openings of the vertebra the spinal cord runs through. After consulting with doctors, Ford decided against surgery to fix the problem, and tests later showed that the condition had improved. Ford was the eighth pick in the draft last summer after leading Texas to its first Final Four appearance in 56 years as a sophomore.
I saw that article last night. I hope he's OK. I remember reading about his potential "spinal" problem here in the Austin newspaper awhile back. He seemed to be fine, except for one or two incidents. Hopefully, it won't affect his career. The little guy is tough.
My room mate told me his friend who went to school with TJ in high school said the neck problems come from an accident he was in a long time ago. They're most likely recurring for the duration of his career. Now I know why he went pro, besides the fact that he's awesome.
i was actually at gregory gym(the UT gym) last year when TJ got injured in the same way. i didnt actually see the injury but i saw him being taken out in a stretcher and the whole ordeal. i think it was the same type of injury. if this type of injury keeps coming up it might really affect his career
