Doug McDermott still dealing with memory loss after concussion

When we hear about concussions in sports, they generally are in relation to NFL players. That doesn’t mean they’re limited to football, though, and one NBA player got a reminder of how nasty they can be.

Chicago Bulls forward Doug McDermott has suffered two concussions this season, and he detailed the scary side effects he’s dealt with. That includes some that still linger nearly two months later, such as short-term memory loss at certain moments.

“There are still times it takes me a little bit to think of a play. That’s something the specialist told me would take a little bit of time,” McDermott said, via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “Coaches are aware of that when we go through walk-through and stuff. I may be a little slow. But I feel good. I’ve been sleeping good, no headaches.”

McDermott thought the concussion protocol would be a straightforward process, but he realized very quickly the seriousness of what he was dealing with.

“I got into the cab to get home and I just completely lost my head,” McDermott said of the period about ten days after he suffered the concussion. “I didn’t know where I was in Chicago. I finally got back to my place and just had a crazy headache. That’s when I was like, ‘Dang, this will take longer than I thought.’ It was a real low point.”

You can see the incident in which McDermott was hurt here. It took him a full month to be cleared to return to the court, and that didn’t mean his symptoms were over. You can’t blame him for being a bit scared, so it’s good to see him back playing.