Jazz center Ostertag donates kidney to sister

AP ^ | 6-27-2002 | JAIME ARON

[Cagey]

DALLAS (AP) - With smiles, laughter and high hopes, Utah Jazz center Greg Ostertag donated a kidney Thursday to his younger sister, whose kidneys failed in March.

"They were joking and carrying on. They were hilarious," said Kathryn Goldstein, a spokeswoman at Baylor University Medical Center who was with the family before the operations. "It was typical sibling joking back and forth, just being silly.

"I think they were very upbeat. Their spirits were very high yesterday and this morning."

Amy Hall has had type 1 diabetes since she was 7. Her kidney problems began in 1999. After it was determined the 26-year-old woman needed a new organ, tests showed her brother to be a perfect donor.

Ostertag went in first to have his kidney removed, a procedure that usually takes three hours. Hall went in later for the transplant, which was expected to take 3½ hours. Their support group at the hospital included their parents, Hall's husband and an aunt.

The procedure was done at the same hospital where Mickey Mantle had a liver transplant in 1995.

Ostertag is expected to remain there until Saturday. The risk of career-threatening complications are low.

Doctors have told the 7-foot-2 Ostertag he can return to his normal routine within six weeks if all goes well. He expects to be ready for the start of training camp.

Ostertag, 29, will try to become the second player in three years to return to the NBA following a kidney transplant. Sean Elliott went back to the San Antonio Spurs after getting a kidney from his brother in March 2000.

Ostertag told team officials of his decision in March, but didn't make it public until a few weeks ago.

"I just hope things go well with Greg," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said Wednesday night. "That's our foremost concern for him and his family. Basketball is secondary. That's always the case when we have a player who has a problem with his family. We wish him nothing but the best."

Ostertag has often been labeled an underachiever on the court, primarily because his production hasn't measured up to his $36 million, six-year contract. He has two seasons and $16.3 million left.

He's coming off a strong playoff series in a first-round loss to Sacramento, averaging 6.8 points and 8.5 rebounds, double his regular-season numbers in both categories.

Utah acquired 7-foot center Curtis Borchardt in Wednesday night's draft, but Jazz owner Larry Miller said the move was not protection in case Ostertag can't return.

"The kidney is a wild card. But we're pretty sure unless something goes wrong with the surgery, we don't think it will affect his play much," Miller said. "It isn't something we're worried about."

[DoughtyOne]

 
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[gubamyster]

Too bad Ostertag's sister can't donate her jump shot to him.

[SandfleaCSC]

Odds are his game will suffer greatly if he's able to play at all again. I had long ago given up the belief that there were any NBA players with class or dignity. Thanks to Greg Olstertaag for restoring a tiny bit of faith in humanity.

[Sir Gawain]

A class act. I doubt a Laker would do that.

[VOA]

Thanks to Greg Olstertaag for restoring a tiny bit of faith in humanity.

I don't care if Mr. Olstertaag may have not lived up to his salary.
That tag can be hung from hundred, if not thousands of professional athlets...or workers
in any field.

At least for this gift, he reminds me of that scene near the end of the movie "The Right Stuff",
where the two guys are driving out to the smoking wreck of the F-104 that Chuck Yeager had just
taken to a new altitude record.

I just loved when it when the ambulance drive says "Sir, is that a man?" as they
see a banged-up Yeager stumbling towards them.
The reply "You're damned right that's a man!"

[RightWingMama]

Gosh darn it. Now I can't hate him. (I'm a Sacramento Kings fan.)

[VOA]

A class act. I doubt a Laker would do that.

That point of view is one I'd have shared a few years ago.
But since I moved to Los Angeles (from the middle of humble Oklahoma), I've been
suprised at what a relatively mild group the Lakers seem to be.
The only one that appears to be a problem with neighbors and the police is
the "temporary" Laker, Dennis Rodman.

The others seem to be at least law-abiding, if not possessed of at least decent hearts.
Even though I RARELY view athletes as "heroes", I'd say the way the Lakers managed to hold
together for their "three-peat" season at least showed some guys with some fortitude.

I hate to think what kind of person I might become if I had incredible athleticism and
was earning millions of dollars a year...

[gubamyster]

"I doubt a Laker would do that."

You're wrong about that. Check out this article about Kobe:


http://www.freerepublic.com/fo cus/chat/684262/posts

[Utah Girl]

Ostertag is a good guy, always has been. Just doesn't have the work ethic to develop his skills.

[Sir Gawain]

Where did it say he donated a kidney?

[gubamyster]

Where did it say he donated a kidney?

You've got to be kidding me. You're right it is not on the same level of donating a kidney.

The point is you said it was a class act that a Laker would never do. Well, Kobe went out of his way to help a sick kid. In today's world of egotistical criminal athletes as well as self-centered people in the general population, I think Kobe’s act was pretty classy. Maybe you would like him to cut off his arm - would that be enough of a sacrifice for you?

[VOA]

You're wrong about that. Check out this article about Kobe:

I remember that story when it ran.
It's a different kind of "celebrity" that can be calm enough to just let a
"unknown quantity" just walk up to him and spend some time schmoozing.

I don't know all that much about Kobe aside from his basketball, except for his fluency in
Italian and that he got married (and as far as I know stayed married) pretty young.
(If I had his money and was such a hot ticket...get married? GET REAL!)

Not that I'm here to defend a bunch of multi-millionaires, but after being this
long in Los Angeles, it's pretty suprising that I don't recall seeing/hearing even an
occassional report of a Laker in trouble with the law...except for Dennis Rodman's
shenanigans.

The Lakers seem like a bunch of choir boys (no Catholic priest jokes people!) compared
to some of the versions of my old team...the University of Oklahoma Sooners (football).
(The "Switzer" Sooners provided an "alter-ego" for the average law-abiding, church-going Oklahoman...)

[Sir Gawain]

I'll think about it.