UCLA Health named official team physicians of USA Basketball for Olympic Games

USA Basketball the national governing body for the sport of basketball in the United States, and UCLA Health, a world-class health care system, have announced a multiyear partnership establishing UCLA Health as the official team physicians of USA Basketball.

The partnership is centered around UCLA Health providing first-class orthopaedic and sports medical care to USA Basketball’s roster of talent, helping ensure its players are physically fit to compete. UCLA Health will provide physician coverage for the men’s and women’s basketball national teams at the next two Olympic Games and at International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Basketball World Cups and training camps, as well as providing resources and support for the USA Basketball men’s and women’s junior national team program.

“Partnering with UCLA Health will enable USA Basketball to provide best-in-class medical coverage for our athletes,” said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball CEO. “Together with UCLA Health, we will support our athletes as they perform on the world’s largest stages.”

“We are thrilled to join USA Basketball as their official team physicians,” said Johnese Spisso, president of UCLA Health and CEO of the UCLA Hospital System. “As a leader in health care with local, national, and international reach, our experts aim to ensure that the teams have the support they need to achieve success at the highest level of competition.”

In addition, UCLA Health will support young athletes and leaders by partnering with USA Basketball’s Women in the Game initiative, which educates high school girls, college women and young professionals about career paths in the sports industry and how to turn passion into opportunity.

“We’re honored to extend our orthopaedic and sports medicine expertise to support USA Basketball,” said Dr. Nicholas Bernthal, chair and executive medical director of the department of orthopaedic surgery at UCLA Health. “Our experience with top professional and collegiate athletes in Los Angeles, including the Lakers, Dodgers, Sparks and UCLA Athletics, makes us primed to help USA Basketball optimize their performance on the global stage. We look forward to both providing best in class clinical care and partnering to innovate in sports science to develop tomorrow’s treatments.”

This story was originally published on the UCLA Health website.