Day 2: Friday, May 15th
McCormick Place, Room W196 (Level 1)
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
NBATA Tradeshow
12:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM
Welcome Remarks — NBA, NBAPA, NBPA Presidents
1:05 PM
Sport Specialization and Factors Affecting Youth Basketball Development
Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Chad Buchanan, Jean Côté
— moderated by John DiFiori
Description
A panel of multidisciplinary experts — including leading researchers, NBA front office executives and a former NBA player — will explore selected issues facing youth basketball with a focus on early single sport specialization.
1:45 PM
Understanding Nutritional Supplements and IV Peptides
Thane Campbell, Gary Green, Thomas Hospel
— moderated by Matt Brooker
Description
This panel will provide an overview of the supplement and peptide landscape in sport, including contamination risks, third-party testing and certification programs, emerging peptide compounds, and the growing use of GLP-1 medications. Panelists will also discuss the intersection of player performance, regulation, and anti-drug program compliance, as well as strategies for athlete education, risk mitigation, and navigating emerging trends, with respect to supplements and peptides.
2:25 PM
Latest in Regenerative Medicine
Asheesh Bedi, George Muschler
— moderated by Travis Maak
Description
Description to come
3:05 PM
20-Minute Intermission
3:25 PM
Participating in Professional Sports with Underlying Cardiac Issues
Matthew Martinez, Dermot Phelan, Allan Schwartz, Ankit Shah
— moderated by David Engel
Description
A growing number of athletes with cardiac conditions are competing in collegiate sports. Each of these athletes require thorough cardiac evaluation as an essential component of their pre-participation medical screening for professional sports. Guidelines for sports participation for athletes with underlying cardiac disorders have evolved over the past several years, shifting from an eligibility/disqualification model based on the specific cardiac condition, and shifting toward a shared decision-making construct that incorporates an individual athlete’s particular disease characteristics and individual risk estimate. Important cardiac conditions that are increasingly encountered in the screening process for professional sports organizations include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic diseases and arrhythmic disorders that require an implanted defibrillator.
4:05 PM
Current Trends in Promoting Tendon Health
Bryan Heiderscheit, Rachel Teater, Katie Taylor
Description
This program will provide an overview of recent tendon health related work led by the NBA and NBPA, including a review of the epidemiology and an analysis of injury mechanism for Achilles tendon ruptures, and an update on an ongoing prospective study investigating how the demands of a competitive basketball season affect tendon health in elite basketball players.
4:45 PM
Closing Remarks
All times listed include time for audience Q&A. Schedule as of 5/11/26 – timing subject to change.