Helena Frye
Basketball players suffer the highest rate of sudden cardiac death compared to other sports, according to research. This is due to the nature of the sport, which involves frequent changes in speed and, by extension, heart rate. While there have been very few cases of NBA players passing away due to injuries sustained while playing basketball, there have been several notable deaths. For example, in 1977, 14 members of the Evansville Purple Aces basketball team died in a plane crash. Additionally, Reggie Lewis, an All-Star for the Boston Celtics, collapsed during a game and later died during practice in 1993.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cause of death | Cardiac arrest, accidents (e.g. car or plane crashes), drug abuse |
| Risk factors | Body composition (tall and lanky), genetic abnormalities (e.g. Marfan syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), pre-existing health conditions (e.g. hyperlipidemia, exercise-related syncope) |
| Prevention and management | Cardiovascular screening (e.g. EKG, echocardiogram), symptom management (e.g. dizziness, rapid heart rate), increased salt and fluid intake, monitoring |
| Data and statistics | 89% of young people with cardiac arrest survived when an AED was used within 5 minutes of collapse; NBA players from inception in 1946 to July 2019: 4374 total players, with data on mortality rates and survival times |
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What You'll Learn
Cardiac arrest
Basketball players suffer the highest rate of sudden cardiac death compared to other sports, according to research. This is despite the fact that cardiac arrest is the number one medical cause of sudden death in young athletes in general. The high rate of cardiac arrest in basketball players may be due to the sport's requirement for sudden bursts of cardiovascular effort, which can expose heart disorders. The tall, long-limbed body type of basketball players may also increase the likelihood of connective tissue disorders that can affect the heart.
Basketball players' hearts are placed under extreme stress during games. The sport involves going from 0 to full speed in the shortest amount of time, repeatedly for long stretches. This can lead to cardiac arrest, where the heart suddenly stops beating. If intervention doesn't happen soon enough, most often with CPR and/or a defibrillator, the condition usually causes death within minutes.
Black male basketball players are particularly at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. A 2020 study in the British Medical Journal found that young Black male college basketball players had an incidence of sudden cardiac arrest or death 21 times higher than the average among high school male athletes of all races. The causes of this disparity are currently debated, but researchers are exploring the issue to find out more and help prevent future deaths.
There have been several notable cases of basketball players suffering cardiac arrest. Omar Carter, an NBA hopeful, experienced cardiac arrest during a game and was saved by CPR and an AED. Zeke Upshaw, a 26-year-old basketball player with the Grand Rapids Drive NBA G League team, died in 2018, two days after collapsing on the court with sudden cardiac arrest. College basketball player Bronny James also suffered cardiac arrest but was saved by quick emergency efforts.
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Accidents
Basketball players suffer the highest rate of sudden cardiac death among athletes, with male basketball players being the most susceptible. This is especially true for NCAA basketball players, who experience fatal cardiac arrests at least twice as frequently as other college athletes. This may be related to the body composition of college basketball players, who are usually tall and lanky. Because of their elongated frames, physicians test larger basketball players for Marfan syndrome, a disease that affects one in five thousand people and causes their connective tissue to grow larger than normal. Marfan syndrome can cause heart arrhythmias and increase the size of the aorta, making it prone to aneurysm or rupture. Other factors that may contribute to the high rate of sudden cardiac death in basketball players include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is more common in African Americans, and the intense physical exertion required by the sport.
Several cases of basketball players dying suddenly during practice or games have been reported. For example, a Rice University football player collapsed and died during practice in the mid-2000s, and four athletes aged 16 to 20 died shortly after collapsing while playing basketball. In 2018, Zeke Upshaw, a 26-year-old basketball player with the Grand Rapids Drive NBA G League team, died two days after collapsing on the court with sudden cardiac arrest. He had been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy but was still cleared to play after an annual physical.
To prevent sudden cardiac death in basketball players, some experts recommend that all college basketball players undergo electrocardiogram (EKG) screening. The International Olympic Committee, FIFA, and most major U.S. professional sports associations already require participants to get an EKG during a physical examination. Additionally, Dr. Gould recommends a 14-point cardiovascular screening checklist from the American Heart Association (AHA), which includes personal history, family history, and physical examination sections. This screening tool can help determine if an athlete needs further testing or if they can safely play sports.
While these measures can help reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death in basketball players, it is important to note that preventing it entirely may not be feasible. However, by implementing these screening measures and improving access to AEDs, the risk of sudden cardiac death in basketball players can be significantly reduced.
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Drug abuse
The NBA's anti-drug policy, established in 1983, made a third illegal drug use offense punishable by a ban, with the possibility of reinstatement after a minimum of two years. This policy was developed in response to the rising use of drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine. Notable players like O.J. Mayo and Jontay Porter were permanently banned from the league for substance abuse, while others, such as Roy Tarpley, Richard Dumas, and Stanley Roberts, faced suspensions or lost promising careers due to drug abuse.
Additionally, some basketball players have tragically lost their lives due to drug-related incidents. Len Bias, an American college basketball player for the Maryland Terrapins, died from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose. His death led to increased media coverage of the crack cocaine epidemic and fueled the war on drugs. Eddie Griffin, a 25-year-old NBA player, died in a drunk driving accident in 2007 after struggling with alcohol abuse for years.
The impact of drug abuse in basketball has led to increased awareness and efforts to address the issue. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, also known as the "Len Bias Law," was signed by President Ronald Reagan, imposing stringent penalties for drug distribution resulting in death or serious injury. These incidents highlight the darker side of the sport, where talented athletes and individuals associated with the game have struggled with substance abuse, leading to detrimental consequences for their careers, health, and, in some tragic cases, their lives.
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Heart conditions
Basketball players suffer the highest rate of sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared to athletes in other sports. The risk of SCD is higher for male basketball players, and Black male college basketball players are at a particularly high risk of SCD.
SCD is the most common medical cause of death in athletes, with an incidence of around 1 in 40,000 to 1 in 80,000 athletes per year, according to the most recent estimates. For male basketball players in NCAA Division I, the rate is as high as one per 3,000 annually. The risk of SCD is also higher for younger athletes (under 35 years), who are more likely to suffer from inherited cardiac conditions, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM causes a thickening of the heart muscle, impeding its ability to pump blood, and is more common in African Americans. Other causes of SCD in athletes under 35 include anomalous origin of a coronary artery, Marfan syndrome, and commotio cordis.
In athletes over 35, most SCD events are due to acquired atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). Various performance-enhancing drugs can also increase cardiac risk, although evidence has been inconclusive about their involvement in sudden cardiac deaths.
While exercise is generally associated with improved health and a decreased risk of coronary heart disease and death, it can be associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death for a small number of individuals who have underlying cardiac conditions. The single most important predictor of SCD is fainting or near-fainting during exercise, which should require detailed explanation and investigation.
There are steps that athletes, parents, schools, and sports organizations can take to limit the risk of cardiac arrest and help prevent SCD. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a 14-point cardiovascular screening checklist, which should be performed by a physician as part of an annual physical for young basketball players. The AHA also recommends that an automated external defibrillator (AED) be used within five minutes of a collapse, so a quick response is critical.
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Collapsed mid-game
Basketball players suffer the highest rate of sudden cardiac death compared to other sports. This is the leading cause of exercise-related death in young people, with male basketball players being the most likely to suffer from it. The elevated risk of sudden cardiac arrest may be related to the body composition of college basketball players, who are usually tall and lanky. For instance, in 2014, a University of Washington basketball player, Kayla Burt, collapsed and almost died. Although no abnormality could explain her collapse, she decided to see a cardiologist who specialised in long QT syndrome and other genetic abnormalities of the heart.
In 2018, a study found that 89% of young people suffering from cardiac arrest survived when an AED was used. AEDs can be found at most colleges and high schools, but their locations vary, and so do the standards for who must be on hand to use them. The AHA recommends that an AED be used within five minutes of a collapse, so a quick response is critical. However, in the case of Zeke Upshaw, a 26-year-old basketball player with the Grand Rapids Drive NBA G League team, paramedics did not attempt to revive him until more than four minutes after his collapse, and although an AED was present, it was not used. Upshaw died two days later.
There have been other instances of athletes dying mid-game. For example, four athletes aged 16 to 20 died shortly after they collapsed while playing basketball. Preparticipation screening had revealed no cardiac abnormality in three of them. The fourth had been advised not to participate in sports and had been treated for hyperlipidemia at age 7 and for exercise-related syncope at age 15.
In another instance, a local "semipro" team was playing basketball when one of the players went up for a rebound in the third quarter, got his legs taken out from under him, and fell on his neck. He died in front of a room full of kids.
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Frequently asked questions
Basketball players suffer the highest rate of sudden cardiac death compared to other sports.
Basketball players frequently change their speed, which may lead to increased variations in heart rate.
Symptoms include dizziness and rapid heart rate.
Doctors recommend a 14-point cardiovascular screening checklist from the American Heart Association (AHA) for young basketball players.
Yes, some players have died in accidents such as car or plane crashes, or from drug abuse.
