Martynas Andriuskevicius badly hurt in NBDL fight

by Big D on Dec 23, 2006 8:44 AM CST

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/184254,CST-SPT-fight23.article

Martynas Andriuskevicius, whom the Bulls recently assigned to the National Basketball Development League's Dakota Wizards, is lucky to be alive today after being punched by Awvee Storey, a Proviso West product and Wizards teammate.

The altercation took place during practice Thursday. The 7-2, 240-pound Andriuskevicius, 20, spent Thursday night in intensive care in Bismarck, N.D.

''He has a skull fracture, severe concussion and a two-centimeter hematoma on the left side of his brain,'' Andriuskevicius' agent Herb Rudoy said. ''They've been monitoring him because they're concerned about seizures.

''From what I'm told, when he got hit unexpectedly, he went out cold instantly and fell right back on his head.''

The 6-6, 225-pound Storey has been suspended indefinitely while the NBA and NBDL investigate.

There's also been a police report written, according to Det. Dean Clarkson. But Clarkson said Andriuskevicius does not want to press charges, making an arrest unlikely. Clarkson said the investigation is pending.

''Awvee's a terrific kid,'' said his Chicago-based agent Mark Bartelstein. ''They had an altercation in practice, and it's really unfortunate.

''I know Awvee feels terrible about it. It wasn't a situation where he just attacked the kid.''

One source said Storey said something to Andriuskevicius, who went over to Storey and got punched.

''He's lucky he's not dead,'' Rudoy said. ''But I think he'll be fine.

''He won't be playing basketball for a long time. They have to be very concerned about his skull fracture healing.''

Rudoy expects Andriuskevicius to be released from the hospital in the next few days and return to Chicago for further examination.

Bulls general manager John Paxson called Andriuskevicius on Friday morning, and Bulls doctors are monitoring the situation.

Storey and Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas were arrested over Memorial Day weekend in Miami Beach for refusing to obey police. The charges later were dropped.

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Comments

Just so you know...

It's pretty bad "etiquette" to repost entire articles, even if you provide the link. Rarely should what you copy and paste equal half of the total text of an article, although that is by no means a hard and fast rule. A possible post here could have been the quote by Andi's agent Rudoy. It's not THAT big of a deal, but it's something that should be followed on such a popular 'blog as this one.

by tyger1147 on Dec 23, 2006 10:22 AM CST reply actions

when a post is about opne of players being attacke

and almost killed, i think there are more appropiate responses than complaining about appearance.....a concern for big marty, then a concern for linking articles would ahve been better...

thoughts and prayers with you big marty

by milesgmsu on Dec 24, 2006 12:22 PM CST up reply actions

Well...

I doubt Marty reads this site. And if he does, then I'm guessing he wasn't offended by me. Third, I don't think you guys really care (well, I didn't think you did) whether my "best wishes" were with Marty.

Finally, I don't really give a rat's bum about Marty. My friend has cystic fibrosis and needs a lung transplant. My cousin has the same and at sixteen, isn't expected to live another 30 years. Thousands of people are dying around the world every hour. I do what little I do to help alleviate that. Just because Marty is tall and a basketball player, I'm not going to pray for him specifically or think more about him than I am about the starving child in Africa/China/India/Chicago. I'm sorry, he gets no special treatment in my "thoughts for the wounded" just because he's a Bull (kind of). Sorry if that offends someone.

by tyger1147 on Dec 27, 2006 6:23 PM CST up reply actions

I think that was meant to offend someone

by Paxson Jackson @ Blog a Bull on Dec 27, 2006 6:38 PM CST up reply actions

I'd imagine

like me Marty could give a shit what you think.

Thabo....the accent is sweet!!

by sue369 on Dec 27, 2006 6:40 PM CST up reply actions

just because i care about marty

doesnt mean i dont care about others....i give to charity, am involved in NGO's, and career path is aimed at alleviating suffering; I just happen to be able to put a face with this story where someone is in pain, and i do hope he does better

by milesgmsu on Dec 28, 2006 3:57 PM CST up reply actions

I am

really sorry to hear about Martynas. There are some real thugs in the sports. I wish him well and hope he recovers aoon.

Thabo....the accent is sweet!!

by sue369 on Dec 23, 2006 11:39 AM CST reply actions

Big Marty

I did not hear about this with the busy holiday weekend. Thankyou for posting the article.

by Jesse07 on Dec 26, 2006 10:23 AM CST reply actions

Punch

Well if Anthony gets 15 games for a sucker punch than this guy should be banned from the NBDL I would assume? But since this incident didn't take place in the hype machine that is NY City (and the fact that it's the NBDL) he'll probably just get a lengthy suspension. But the NBDL is part of the NBA and if Stern and Jackson truly want to crack down on violence, this guy should be banned from any league involved with the NBA. It's a shame that happened to Marty.

by Kerrminator25 on Dec 27, 2006 12:31 PM CST reply actions

Fights happen.

You can't ban everyone that punches a teammate in practice. If you did, the Wizards wouldn't have anyone to start at center.

Seriously though, people get in fights. The injury was from hitting his head on the court, not the severity of the beating. A lengthy suspension is in order, sure, but that's it.

by Eddy Currys Broken Heart on Dec 27, 2006 3:39 PM CST up reply actions

Doesn't matter

We are in a new era PD (post Detroit) Anthony didn't deserve 15 games. He threw a punch. The last thing I remember, throwing a punch in a NBA game results in an automatic 1 game suspension. But now Anthony gets 15. If there is a crackdown on violence in the NBA/NBDL this guy should be kicked out of the league.
I don't care it was a result of the floor. If the punch wasn't thrown it wouldn't of happened. I'm sure Todd Bertuzzi didn't mean to break Steve Moore's neck and end his NHL career, but that's what happened.
The league is incosistent with their punishments. So I'm curious to see what happens here and with that chump James Posey.

by Kerrminator25 on Dec 28, 2006 10:40 AM CST reply actions

You're a chump

You're condemning fighting in this diary, and condoning fighting James Posey in your own. Make up your mind.

by Paxson Jackson @ Blog a Bull on Dec 28, 2006 10:44 AM CST up reply actions

cliche time

You guys...we're like a team....a team of devoted blog readers who follow pro basketball...some of us into our latter adult years...wow thats sad; lemme try again

we're like a team, and while we can disagree, if we fight with each other and call each other names, its jsut like throwing a punch....a lil love? X-mAs is only 362 days away

by milesgmsu on Dec 28, 2006 3:56 PM CST reply actions