What’s Crazier, March Madness or the Fact that Basketball Player Don’t Wear Athletic Cups?

March Madness has started and the NBA playoffs are just around the corner. Which means it’s time to ask thequestion: why don’t basketball players wear athletic cups?

The answer, according to Dr. Stephen Strup, the chief of urology at the University of Kentucky, is comfort. Strup, quoted in this ESPN article says it comes down to comfort.

“Granted, such injuries could likely be prevented by wearing a cup, but NBA players don't wear them. Even Dr. Stephen Strup, the chief of urology at the University of Kentucky, doesn't recommend them. In over 20 years of practice, Strup has treated a few basketball-related injuries in the hoop-crazy state. But as a former small forward for Division III's DePauw University basketball team, Dr. Strup knows firsthand how immobilizing and uncomfortable a protective cup can be on the court.

"There isn't enough of an issue to wear a cup," Dr. Strup says. "It's hard to generate enough pressure for major injuries to occur in basketball. You see the guys go out, they're uncomfortable and they can't function a little bit, but usually they're back in a few minutes."

As usual, we disagree with the no-cup ‘cause “it’s not that big of a deal.” Almost every season a basketball player is out for more than a few minute—like Manu Ginobili, who took a knee to the groin and needed surgery. It took a month of recovery before he was back in the game.

But given the culture of it’s-not-comfortable that’s so much a part of basketball, we clearly need a great ball player or two to give our gear a try. Someone who’s willing to lose the groin protection stance for a game, or part of a game, and try some real groin protection.

Suggestions on who we should hit up? Someone who’s tired of getting hit in the nuts with no protective gear in play? Let us know! Email, Facebook, Tweet— you know the drill. So, let us know who you think’s tired of getting drilled in the down under, and willing to give our gear a shot!

1 Response

Chris

January 30, 2019

The lacrosse, hockey, and baseball teams at my high school participated in the cupcheck challenge last month. I tested out my lacrosse jock/cup.
Unfortunately I got cupchecked for real in my basketball game Friday, no cup just compression shorts. Went up to block a shot, shooter kicked out and got my nuts square. I knew it was going to be bad, just not how bad. Knee presses and squats helped a little. The trainer examined them but there isn’t really much he could do. No major injury but I’ll be down for a while.
Haven’t felt like doing much since the injury, mostly lying on the couch with a cold pack on my nuts. It is uncomfortable to walk. Been wearing my jock without the cup for support. Have to be checked by the trainer tomorrow to see if I can practice. The way I fell now, it’s doubtful.
Basketball is a contact sport and it’s not only the pros but guys at all levels that can get a testicle injury.

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What’s Crazier, March Madness or the Fact that Basketball Player Don’t Wear Athletic Cups?

1 Response

Chris

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