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.

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!