Hollins: Health comes first

Former Griz coach speaks at men’s expo

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African-American men are predisposed to high blood pressure and prostate cancer, Brooklyn Nets coach Lionel Hollins said Saturday in Memphis at a men’s health conference.

Hollins advised the audience at First Baptist Church on Broad not to let the pressures of work interfere with taking care of one’s body.

Also, colonoscopies and prostate exams are embarrassing but necessary, he said.

“Don’t let anything get in the way of your health,” he said.

“So much of what the AfricanAmerican community is dying of is preventable.”

Hollins, the former Memphis Grizzlies coach who is still popular in the city and has a house here, was diagnosed with hypertension during his 20s as an NBA player.

“As an athlete and now a coach, I have to be very deliberate in my efforts to maintain a healthy blood pressure,” he said.

The expo was presented by the county health initiative Healthy Shelby and campaign partners, including the American Heart Association, Bap- Former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins says men shouldn’t let the pressures of work interfere with taking care of their health.