WCS lack of conditioning? (split)

Larry89 said:
Doesnt WCS have sickle cell trait?
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I think early on I heard something about this but I can't find any info on the internet about his medical status. I read a bit about sickle cell trait which MIGHT be a problem in an athlete especially at high altitudes. Oxygen deprivation can lead to blood clotting. Athletes busting their butts work in an oxygen deprived state but of course you athletes probably know that. I HOPE the Kings staff knows what is going on better than we do.

I don't understand Karl's concerns about conditioning. Do you pre-emptively lower a guy's minutes because you think he is out of shape. Why not play him and see? This guy is too gifted to be screwed with. In the last game he played he looked like he was toying with the mere mortals. Of course it was garbage time. To speculate beyond all reason, maybe Karl has heard of the possibility of sickle cell trait and is afraid to play Trill extended minutes because the more an athlete plays, the more likely he is to be in an oxygen deprive state. Now THAT folks is speculation. (Just trying to make some sense out of a situation that appears to make no sense.)
 
Any sickle cell trait concerns would have been addressed before drafting WCS.

As far as shape, the best way to get into basketball shape is to play basketball. A treadmill won't do it. Even if Karl felt WCS wasn't in optimal shape to begin with, not playing him will keep it that way. Karl needs to play him until he's dragging his tongue on the court from fatigue. Then do it again the next night. Eventually he'll build up endurance.
 
Glenn said:
I think early on I heard something about this but I can't find any info on the internet about his medical status. I read a bit about sickle cell trait which MIGHT be a problem in an athlete especially at high altitudes. Oxygen deprivation can lead to blood clotting. Athletes busting their butts work in an oxygen deprived state but of course you athletes probably know that. I HOPE the Kings staff knows what is going on better than we do.

I don't understand Karl's concerns about conditioning. Do you pre-emptively lower a guy's minutes because you think he is out of shape. Why not play him and see? This guy is too gifted to be screwed with. In the last game he played he looked like he was toying with the mere mortals. Of course it was garbage time. To speculate beyond all reason, maybe Karl has heard of the possibility of sickle cell trait and is afraid to play Trill extended minutes because the more an athlete plays, the more likely he is to be in an oxygen deprive state. Now THAT folks is speculation. (Just trying to make some sense out of a situation that appears to make no sense.)
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I remember WCS saying that at Kentucky, he would play as hard as he can and if he feels anything wrong or he's too tired, he would ask the coach to take him out. I would think that there would be a similar understanding with the Kings coaching staff as well.
 
WCS's conditioning is "behind" for how fast they want to play? The guy runs up and down the court like a freaking gazelle. He was KILLING it out there in OKC, and our defense was so much better with him on the floor. Can't believe Karl said that.
 
Glenn said:
I think early on I heard something about this but I can't find any info on the internet about his medical status. I read a bit about sickle cell trait which MIGHT be a problem in an athlete especially at high altitudes. Oxygen deprivation can lead to blood clotting. Athletes busting their butts work in an oxygen deprived state but of course you athletes probably know that. I HOPE the Kings staff knows what is going on better than we do.

I don't understand Karl's concerns about conditioning. Do you pre-emptively lower a guy's minutes because you think he is out of shape. Why not play him and see? This guy is too gifted to be screwed with. In the last game he played he looked like he was toying with the mere mortals. Of course it was garbage time. To speculate beyond all reason, maybe Karl has heard of the possibility of sickle cell trait and is afraid to play Trill extended minutes because the more an athlete plays, the more likely he is to be in an oxygen deprive state. Now THAT folks is speculation. (Just trying to make some sense out of a situation that appears to make no sense.)
Click to expand...

http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article44458485.html

http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article25687051.html

But I doubt it's the reason he doesn't get a lot of minutes.
 
Amit149 said:
http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article44458485.html

http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article25687051.html

But I doubt it's the reason he doesn't get a lot of minutes.
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There is a football player who had troubles playing at Denver so he sits out Denver games. He had emergency treatment and could have died. Stating this is no problem is BS. I would limit his minutes, like 5 minute bursts, keep him hydrated, and give careful thought if he should play in, er, Mexico City or Denver.

Anything you read about sickle cell trait says you can lead a normal life unless you are an athlete.
 
The Kings knew about the WCS sickle cell before they drafted him. They must have thought that his ability compensated for the medical condition. In evaluating him as a player you have to incorporate the sickle cell trait into the evaluation. It looks like he's never going to be a 38 min/game kind of guy.
 
gunks said:
Karl irks the hell out of me.

He needs to just admit that he has his bias against rookies. Always has, regardless of their contributions on the court.
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....WCS has sickle cell and his conditioning is a struggle for him. That's not Karl's fault... WCS has played good minutes this season for a rookie...
 
Peter_Gibbons said:
I remember WCS saying that at Kentucky, he would play as hard as he can and if he feels anything wrong or he's too tired, he would ask the coach to take him out. I would think that there would be a similar understanding with the Kings coaching staff as well.
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He was asking out in summer league and preseason, so yes, the arrangement still stands.

And I don't get the whining about WCS' minutes. He's averaging almost 20 per game - plenty for a rookie, especially one who had never watched film or lifted weights before being drafted.
 
Amaranth said:
He was asking out in summer league and preseason, so yes, the arrangement still stands.

And I don't get the whining about WCS' minutes. He's averaging almost 20 per game - plenty for a rookie, especially one who had never watched film or lifted weights before being drafted.
Click to expand...

Wait, what? You are telling me that Caliper didn't have the Kentucky Wildcats watching film? Also, there is a whole series of videos showing a bunch of WCS pre draft workouts.
 
Amaranth said:
He was asking out in summer league and preseason, so yes, the arrangement still stands.

And I don't get the whining about WCS' minutes. He's averaging almost 20 per game - plenty for a rookie, especially one who had never watched film or lifted weights before being drafted.
Click to expand...

This not lifting weights thing is pure BS. Calapari commented prior to Willies freshman year, on how much progress that Willie had made, in learning the game, and how he had arrived weighing 210 pounds, and had his weight up to 225 pounds with his weight work prior to the season. Willie admitted at the time that he had never lifted weights in his life before arriving at Kentucky.
 
Does everybody know what sickle cell trait is? It's simple. Red blood cells are of a peculiar shape so they can pass through the smallest of blood vessels. If the oxygen level in the blood lowers (high altitude play and working anaerobically as athletes do) the sickle cell changes shape and is less able to squeeze through a narrow vessels.

Soooo, 1) the coach has to count on playing WCS in limited bursts so there is no anaerobic play, 2) WCS should listen to his body, 3) the coach should listen to WCS, and 4) WCS should stay hydrated to keep the vessels open as much as possible. There certainly have been other players with the trait in the NBA. WCS seems to be bright and in excellent shape except perhaps the ability to play at NBA speed for a long time. He has an excellent body. He is naturally quick and fast which allows him to be WCS and not a limited WCS. Sickle cell trait for WCS may not be a huge concern.

8-10% of African Americans have the trait. It also occurs in just about every other race but at lesser percentages. I would be curious if any of the people on the forum have played basketball with the trait. Maybe a lot of people never know.

Modern medicine has come up with a simple device to measure blood oxygen saturation that could be used at the arena. Yeahh!
 
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speaking of Trill's sickle cell trait...doesn't Javale McGee have asthma? obviously not the same thing but just an example of a player playing through a certain set of circumstances. I'm sure playing in Denver didn't help him very much, he's doing all right for himself in Dallas now.
 
The Kings coaches and training staff are more aware of WCS' condition than we are and are more qualified in rationing his minutes.

I have to believe that his status as a rookie is somewhat holding him back from significant minutes in Karl's rotation. There was that game where he sat out the entire half against the Bobcats because Karl felt like it.
 
George Karl is the man. Listen up rookies, this grand wizard is spreading his knowledge.
 
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