Ford in a collision

[Tammo29@xxxxxxx]

Wednesday, April 16
 
Ford injured during pickup game at campus gym
Associated Press


AUSTIN -- Texas star point guard T.J. Ford spent four hours being treated by
University of Texas medical staff and emergency room doctors at St. David's
Hospital Wednesday night after an incident during a pickup basketball game at
a campus gym.

Ford, taken to the hospital by ambulance about 6 p.m., was released about 10
p.m., the university said. He was taken out of the hospital out of sight of
reporters.



Team spokesman Scott McConnell refused to answer questions, citing federal
privacy laws. Earlier, McConnell had said, "It is not life-threatening.''



"We are aware that he was injured in a pickup game,'' McConnell said. He said
Ford was conscious when he arrived and may have had a collision with another
player. There were no coaches or trainers on the scene when he was injured.



Seth Galton, a UT sophomore watching the game, said Ford was dribbling up the
court when he was slapped on the back of his neck by an unidentified player
and fell to the court.



Galton described the contact as "very minor.''



"He was just looking at the sky, no hands or feet moving,'' he said in
Wednesday's online edition of the Austin American-Statesman. Galton said Ford
was playing with several other Texas basketball players, as well as some
football players.



Before Ford's freshman season at Texas began in the fall of 2001, he was
diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the openings of the vertebra
the spinal cord runs through. After consulting with doctors, Ford decided
against surgery to fix the problem, and later tests showed the condition had
improved.



Texas coach Rick Barnes came out of Ford's emergency room about 7:15 p.m. He
was smiling and joking with reporters, but declined comment on Ford's injury.



Ford's parents, who live in Houston, were notified.



Ford is a sophomore All-America, who led the Longhorns to their first Final
Four appearance in 56 years. Ford said this week he may leave school early to
enter this summer's NBA draft.



Ford won the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Award, both college
basketball player of the year honors.



TAM