NET NOTES
CLEVELAND – While Nets who played with or coached Todd MacCulloch expressed sympathies that the Sixer center has been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder that likely will end his career, team president Rod Thorn said last night the team had no indication of the extent of MacCulloch’s condition last season.
“He only complained about his heel last year,” Thorn said yesterday.
Medical experts said Monday it’s unlikely MacCulloch will be able to continue playing with a genetic disorder known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease – which weakens his legs and disrupts his balance.
In most cases, doctors said, patients lose normal use of their feet and legs slowly as their nerves stop working properly and their muscles deteriorate.
Said Thorn: “I had a conversation with him the last time we were in Philadelphia and I asked him that. ‘Did you have any problem?’ and he said, ‘No, the only thing that bothered me was my heel. This nerve thing didn’t bother me until this year.'”
Thorn then echoed sentiments held by MacCulloch’s former teammates.
“A great person, one of the best people I’ve known in the game,” he said. “Hopefully, it won’t affect his life.”
Said Net coach Byron Scott: “I was very hurt by it because the relationship I had with Todd last year I thought was special.”
And from Jason Collins: “Every professional athlete’s worst nightmare is to have a disease or something where … your body is betraying you. This is really sad.”
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Kenyon Martin is expected back tonight for the game with the Knicks, Scott said. Martin flew home yesterday due to personal reasons. Scott started Brian Scalabrine. …
Kerry Kittles entered in a shooting slump: 16-of-55 (.291) in his last five games.
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Rodney Rogers doesn’t want to cause a fuss. But he does want to talk to Scott about his role. Rogers was clearly upset – but diplomatic – about playing just three minutes Sunday in the loss to Orlando.
“He’s got a reason for doing it,” Rogers said. “We will have a talk, but I’m not going to make a big deal out of it.”