The Basketball Doctors

The Basketball Doctors USC-trained Doctors of Physical Therapy specializing in elite basketball performance & ACL recovery. 🏀 Helping you get back to 100%

02/22/2026

One of biggest mistakes people do following ACL surgery is their squatting. They tend to put more pressure on one leg versus the other, which then leads to compensations.

02/21/2026

Here is one mistake people do with their ankle sprain rehab that they need to focus to ensure proper recovery following an ankle sprain.

02/20/2026

One of the most common things we see with athletes following ACL surgery when they go back to running is pain in the front of their knee. Here is one exercise you can be doing to help with that.

ACL Injuries in Basketball: What Return to Sport Really Looks LikeInstagram Caption🏀 Most basketball players return afte...
02/20/2026

ACL Injuries in Basketball: What Return to Sport Really Looks Like

Instagram Caption
🏀 Most basketball players return after ACL surgery — but returning to play isn’t the same as returning to performance.
📊 NBA research shows:
✔️ ~84% return to NBA games
✔️ Avg return ≈ 12 months
✔️ First season = fewer minutes & games
✔️ Performance often rebounds closer to Year 2
💡 Key lesson:
True ACL recovery in basketball requires long-term planning, not rushed timelines.
👇 Comment “ACL” if you need some rehab tips and assistance.
📚 Ref: DeFroda et al. Orthop J Sports Med,

02/19/2026

90% of ACL repairs happen during landing or cutting are you training to stay safe or training to jump high. Here’s one mistake you need to be working on to ensure that you decrease your wrist for an ACL rep tear

02/19/2026

We break down his torn ACL injury and the implications for the texas tech superstar for the rest of the season and his future!

02/18/2026

One of the most important things you need to be doing after ACL surgery is getting your knee straight because if you cannot get your knee straight after ACL surgery, then it will limit your ability to walk properly and activate your quadriceps muscle after surgery

02/18/2026

ACL Rehab
Return to sport
If you want to be able to do the first drill we showed here are progressions you need to master before doing it.
Single leg Plyometrics are key when it comes to rehab for basketball athletes

02/17/2026

Lateral jumping is the bridge between basic rehab and getting back to your crossover. You need to own the landing if not you’re at risk. What we are looking for
✅no valgus
✅glute engagement
✅core control

02/17/2026

If you dealing with knee pain check out this video your knee pain maybe coming from your ankle!

02/16/2026

Breaking down the Ja Morant elbow injury update. Ja suffered a UCL sprain (ulnar collateral ligament) in his left elbow. As a sports PT I’m looking at the rehab timeline and how this affects his shooting and ball handling

02/16/2026

Anthony Davis is dealing with several injuries that are going to be taking him out for the entire season and here as a sports physical therapist I breakdown these injuries.

Address

Los Angeles, CA

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Basketball Doctors posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to The Basketball Doctors:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category

The Basketball Doctor’s Story

Our names are Gabe Ignacio and Marco Lopez, and we are a team of physical therapists who aim to provide evidence-based rehabilitation to optimize movement for basketball players of all skill levels. We will empower the community by presenting fundamental knowledge relevant to injury prevention and performance enhancement, as well as, training for athletes with the goal of enjoying basketball for life. As avid basketball players as children, the love for the game continued to grow throughout our lives from watching the game being played at all levels to attending basketball camps to going through the ups and down of our own basketball journey. We each experienced numerous injuries and set-backs, which exposed us to the realization that our childhood dreams of playing in the NBA was not a realistic goal, among other key factors. As a result, we re-evaluated our goals and focused on our education, which led us to becoming Doctors of Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California. We noticed that there was not a big presence of a place for people to access information on basketball specific injuries and recovery. Equipped with our attained knowledge throughout our educational careers, we wanted to combine our passions for healthcare, movement, biomechanics, and basketball to provide a platform of information and care. Although playing basketball for a career is no longer the driving force of staying connected to basketball, we hope to make a positive impact on the game we love by helping and collaborating with anyone involved in the basketball community to meet a common goal; whether it be making the high school/collegiate team, playing in weekly recreational leagues for life, or optimizing movement and skills to play recreationally and professionally.