March Madness has started and the NBA playoffs are just around the corner. Which means it’s time to ask the question: 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!