Hawkins’ concussion history a concern, but not career-altering
HARTFORD — The collective gasp from the 9,116 at XL Center when UConn men’s basketball sophomore standout Jordan Hawkins crashed to the floor Monday night spoke volumes.
The tears that flowed from Hawkins’ eyes as he sat near the end of the bench, towel over head, before retreating to the locker room spoke even more.
Hawkins, whose head slammed on the hardwood after being undercut while going for an offensive rebound in Monday’s seasonopening game, has a history of concussions. Last season against Georgetown, he banged his head near the end of the game and was questionable to play a few days later at Creighton.
Hawkins did play, but just five minutes into the game ran into a screen set by 7-footer Ryan Kalkbrenner.
He left the game, and never returned … for the remainder of the season. Hawkins spent the Huskies’ final four games, including two Big East tournament tilts and an NCAA tourney loss to New Mexico State, in concussion protocol.
No doubt, that was going through his mind as he left the floor, despondent, midway through the first half Monday night. Given Hawkins’ concussion history just in his short time at UConn, was he looking at a lengthy absence? Could this affect a career that coach Dan Hurley and many others believe could lead to the NBA as early as next summer?
Far too early to tell. Hurley said shortly after Monday’s game that Hawkins had not yet been put in concussion protocol. There was no update on his status by UConn on Tuesday, though at least one report indicated that Hawkins was “fine.”
“He’ll be back,” freshman forward Alex Karaban promised after the game.
Karaban, of course, is no doctor. Sarah E. Bullard, Ph.D. and interim director
of psychology at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, is a doctor. Speaking in generalities, with no inner knowledge of Hawkins’ case, Bullard noted that there is more cause for concern when an athlete with concussion history suffers another.
“As a neuropsychologist who’s evaluating someone who’s bell has been rung, so to speak, I’m not only interested in the injury to the brain, I’m looking at the brain that has been injured,” she said. “The individuals who I am more worried about would be somebody that brings a history of previous concussion, attention deficit disorder, a learning disability, a medical issue like diabetes, depression, anxiety, a trauma history. Anybody that’s bringing something to the table that we know has the potential to keep your bell ringing, those are the people that I instantly would be more cautious about.”
Still, Hawkins’ prior concussion in March doesn’t mean another would necessarily be more severe.
“Can people recover and have no problems? Absolutely.
Just because somebody had a concussion six months ago doesn’t mean that their bell’s going to ring longer for this one. It all has to do with how injured were they, how long did it take them to recover, did they fully recover? Are there any other underlying issues that also make it more likely for them to have a prolonged recovery?”
It all comes down to how severe the prior concussion was, according to Dr. Jerrold Kaplan, M.D., who runs Gaylord Hospital’s outpatient concussion program.
“If you have an athlete that’s otherwise healthy, no other significant medical problems, has had a prior mild concussion that they’ve fully recovered from, they’re not necessarily going to have more significant problems from a second concussion,” Dr. Kaplan said.
Hawkins’ prior concussion caused him to miss the final two weeks of last season. Still, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t relatively mild. A severe concussion can have affects that last 3-6 months after the injury.
“The vast majority of people who have concussions recover within a few days or weeks,” Dr. Kaplan said.
UConn has an extensive concussion protocol that is extremely well-designed, according to Bullard.
“As a mom of an athlete,” she said, “it is everything I’d hope the school would follow.”
The protocol features a graduated return to play and objective scales to determine the severity of the injury, neurological findings and restriction on players returning to the field if they have significant neurological changes.
More information on Hawkins’ situation could be learned on Wednesday. Whether he enters concussion protocol or not, his prior concussion doesn’t mean Monday’s scary situation would be anything long-term or career-threatening.
And, as both Dr. Bullard and Dr. Kaplan agreed, he is in good hands with UConn’s medical staff.
“As long as UConn is following their concussion protocol,” Dr. Kaplan said, “I think they’re treating athletes appropriately and in good care, protecting athletes and at the same time getting them back to their sports in the most efficient fashion.”