Detroit's Rodney Stuckey Stable After Apparent Seizure in Game With Cavs

CLEVELAND -- The Cavs-Pistons game turned serious and scary Friday night when Detroit guard Rodney Stuckey suffered what appeared to be a seizure on the Pistons' bench.

The game was stopped for 12 minutes while emergency medical personnel rushed to take care of Stuckey. While his teammates looked on and wandered about the court, the Cavs huddled near their bench to say a prayer.

As soon as the game ended both teams met at midcourt to embrace in a circle and offer more thoughts for Stuckey.

"The game is much bigger than players, coaches and fans," LeBron James said. "Tonight was a game between Cleveland and Detroit, but when an instance like that happens, we all become one family."

The Pistons said Stuckey, 23, was in stable condition at the Cleveland Clinic. He was given oxygen and an EKG before leaving the arena and was kept overnight at the medical facility for tests and observation.

"I've never witnessed anything like that in my career," Detroit forward Charlie Villanueva said. "It's scary."

Stuckey's collapse happened during a timeout as he was seated on the bench. Pistons coach John Kuester said as the timeout began he was going to talk to Jonas Jerebko about something in the game, but Stuckey – in his third season from Eastern Washington -- cut him off.

"He said, 'Coach, I've got him.'" Kuester said. " As I was meeting with the coaches, all of a sudden I saw him sort of leaning over with Arnie (Kander, Pistons strength and conditioning coach) and before I knew it, he was on the ground."

"He came over and he told Arnie he was feeling a little dizzy," Villanueva said. "He drank some water and the next thing you know, he passed out. He sat down and said he was feeling a little bit dizzy. It was very scary because you don't know what's going on. I'm glad he's doing well now."

Stuckey suffered dizziness during a game in January 2008. He missed two games, then was cleared to play. The Pistons said there were no indications anything was wrong prior to Friday night's game.

The scene brought quiet to the normally boisterous Quicken Loans Arena, as fans and players stood trying to understand what had happened. James left his team's huddle and walked toward the Pistons bench when he realized something was wrong. Coach Mike Brown and the rest of the Cavs followed close behind. As fans started to notice, the arena music was turned down and the crowd became more and more silent.

Stuckey lay on the arena floor, just outside the court. Several reports said TV replays showed him shaking uncontrollably as players looked on. The Pistons cleared their chairs as medical crews arrived. He was wheeled off in a stretcher, his shirt off and an oxygen mask on his face.

Reports from the Clinic said Stuckey was conscious and breathing on his own, and his vital signs were good.

The game resumed – Cleveland won 99-92 – but Villanueva said it was tough because the Pistons were concerned and thinking about their teammate.
"My mind came out of the game, of course," Jerebko said. "I don't know if it changed the outcome, but of course my thought was with him."

James said that after Thursday's practice, he and some of his teammates were watching ESPN. The subject of the documentary film being shown: Hank Gathers, who collapsed and died during a game for Loyola Marymount on March 4, 1989 – 20 years and one day earlier. James said he could not help but flash to the movie as he watched Stuckey on the ground.

"All our prayers are with Rodney Stuckey and his family," James said.

"We play this game and we compete against one another, but we're all friends," Cavs forward Antawn Jamison said. "We all understand what we are out there trying to accomplish and the most important thing is his health. He has a family, friends, and things of that nature and he's a good guy as well. I just pray that he has a speedy recovery and that it's nothing serious."

Update: Stuckey is "doing well," and has been released from the hospital.