Article 22 MEDICAL TREATMENT OF PLAYERS AND RELEASE OF MEDICAL INFORMATION

22.1 One Surgeon.

Each Team agrees that a player requiring the care and treatment of an orthopedic surgeon will, so far as practicable, be referred to and treated by one (1) orthopedic surgeon (rather than several).

22.2 Committee of Team Physicians.

Representatives designated by the Players Association shall participate in meetings of the committee of Team physicians appointed by the NBA for the purpose of discussing matters related to the medical care and treatment of players.

22.3 Disclosure of Medical or Health Information.

  1. A Team physician may disclose all relevant medical information concerning a player to (i) the General Manager, coaches, and trainers of the Team by which such player is employed, (ii) any entity from which any such Team seeks to procure, or has procured, an insurance policy covering such player’s life or any disability, injury or illness such player may suffer or sustain, and (iii) subject to the terms of Section 3(d) below, the media or public on behalf of the Team.
  2. Should it be requested in connection with the contemplated assignment of a player’s Uniform Player Contract to one or more NBA Teams, a Team’s physician may furnish all relevant medical information relating to the player to (i) the physicians and General Manager, coaches, and trainers of such other Team or Teams, and (ii) any entity from which any such other Team seeks to procure, or has procured, an insurance policy covering such player’s life or any disability, injury or illness such player may suffer or sustain.
  3. Should a Team assign a player to the NBADL, such Team’s physician may furnish all relevant medical information relating to the player to (i) the NBADL, (ii) the physicians and General Manager, head coaches, and trainers of the player’s NBADL team, and (ii) any entity from which the Team, the NBADL, or the player’s NBADL team seeks to procure, or has procured, an insurance policy covering such player’s life or any disability, injury or illness such player may suffer or sustain. In addition, an NBADL team physician may furnish all relevant medical information relating to the player to the physicians and General Manager, coaches, and trainers of the player’s Team.
  4. Subject to Section 3(e) above, each Team may make public medical information relating to the players in its employ, provided that such information relates solely to the reasons why any such player has not been or is not rendering services as a player.
  5. A player or his immediate family (where appropriate) shall have the right to approve the terms and timing of any public release of medical information relating to any injuries or illnesses suffered by that player that are potentially life- or career-threatening, or that do not arise from the player’s participation in NBA games or practices.

22.4 Draftees.

Prior to any NBA Draft, the NBA and/or its Teams, acting jointly, may request that persons eligible for such Draft voluntarily submit to the administration of standardized medical or laboratory tests (other than tests for controlled substances), and intelligence and/or personality tests, the results of which shall be made available to any Team upon request, but which shall be kept confidential from the public and the media. Any person who submits to the administration of such tests may, prior to such Draft, be requested to submit voluntarily to an examination by the physician(s) for an NBA Team(s), but shall not be requested to undergo any further medical or laboratory test administered at the request of the NBA and/or its Teams acting jointly.

22.5 Selection of Team Physician and Other Health Care Providers.

Each Team has the sole and exclusive discretion to select any doctors, hospitals, clinics, health consultants or other health care providers (“Health Care Providers”) to examine and/or treat players pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the Uniform Player Contract; provided, however, no Team will engage any such Health Care Provider based primarily on a sponsorship relationship (or lack thereof) with the Team, and without considering the Health Care Provider’s qualifications (including, e.g., medical experience and credentials) and the goal of providing high quality care to all of its players.