Bulls player Doug McDermott shared scary details of memory loss after his second concussion of the season
Chicago Bulls sharpshooting forward Doug McDermott suffered his first concussion of the season against the Boston Celtics on October 31, and 10 days later suffered another one when Markieff Morris bulldozed him at the rim for a flagrant-1 foul.
McDermott left the game, entered the NBA's concussion protocol, and although he expected to return to the hardwoods quickly he did not play again until early December.
On Friday, McDermott revealed that the second concussion caused him temporary memory loss - including a scary moment when, in the back of a cab, he suddenly couldn't remember where he was or what he was supposed to be doing.
"And then I got into the cab to get home and I just completely lost my head," McDermott told the Chicago Tribune. "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."
McDermott also noted that even though he's been cleared to play, he still - almost two months later - doesn't feel like his brain is operating at its normal speed.
"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 told the 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."
Despite his concussion troubles, McDermott has managed to produce off the bench for the Bulls this season. The third-year player is averaging a career-high 10.1 points in just 26.3 minutes. The Bulls, though, have been puzzling this season and are currently 18-18.