Thunder head athletic trainer Joe Sharp joins the Charlotte Hornets after 10-year stint in Oklahoma City.
It’s an end of an era for the Thunder medical staff, as head athletic trainer Joe Sharp won’t be on the end of the bench for the first time in since organization’s move to Oklahoma City. Sharp started with the organization in 2008 and has been tending to Thunder injuries ever since. Joining the Hornets will be a reunion for Sharp, as he spent four years with the Bobcats prior to going to Oklahoma City.
Like other long-time organizational personnel, OKC considers Sharp to be like family. He helped heal players back to full strength from season long injuries, including Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Andre Roberson and was even there to tend to Paul George‘s leg injury in 2014 with USA Basketball. Through it all, he’s been the unsung hero of the team.
Oklahoma City Thunder, OU Medicine Announce Innovative New Partnership @OUMedicine https://t.co/pagHQXPCbL pic.twitter.com/4YRyhGgDn9
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) September 19, 2018
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No official word on Sharp’s replacement has been released, but the likely candidate is the current the Vice President of Human & Player Performance, Donnie Strack. Strack has also been with the Thunder for the past 10 years, nine of which were spent as the director of medical services.
Previously, Strack worked as a Graduate Assistant athletic trainer for the Indiana Pacers and served as a practicing orthopedic therapist for three years.
Another candidate would be Sharp’s former assistant athletic director, Tony Katzenmeier. Katzenmeier started as an athletic trainer with the Tulsa 66’ers and joined the Thunder in 2013. He was formerly the head athletic trainer for Eastern Illinois University and worked with the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and USA Basketball.
The change of athletic trainers comes on the heels of the OKC Thunder partnering with OU Medicine. The 10-year commitment will include the sharing of information to provide the Thunder with the most advanced training and fitness conditions to date.