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Doctor Explains Why Draymond Green's Chokehold On Rudy Gobert Was Violent And Terrifying

Dr. Brian Sutterer explained why Draymond Green's chokehold on Rudy Gobert was very terrifying.

Draymond Green's chokehold on Rudy Gobert has been dominating the headlines since Tuesday night and now Dr. Brian Sutterer, MD, has explained why Green's act was incredibly terrifying.

"I will say one of the most concerning things honestly about this whole sequence was how Draymond initially went in just with his forearm on the front, striking the front part of Gobert's throat," Sutterer said. "When we look at our bio digital tool here, that can result in a lot of trauma to the larynx or to the trachea even the hyoid bone."

Sutterer explained that there is little to no protection in that area and that athletes can be out for a significant period of time when struck there.

"So, that first moment where Draymond just comes in and his forearm hits square in the front in that Adam's apple in that larynx in and of itself can result in some direct trauma fracture to these laryngeal structures in the front of the neck," Sutterer stated.

While all of this would have been bad enough, Sutterer explained why the type of chokehold that Green used was so concerning.

"The next part of this then that's really terrifying and just awful to watch is how Draymond just basically tries to drag Gobert by his neck," Sutterer continued. "So, he's got his arms up under his neck here, we'll talk about these different chokehold positions, but he just proceeds to drag Gobert, a large human, by his neck, something that in itself adds to the danger of what is being done here." 

Sutterer explained how in MMA, the competitors are grappling and working to get into these positions, but Green's act saw a sudden violent force being applied, which is dangerous. He then revealed that Draymond applied a blood choke here, which could have led to Gobert losing consciousness. 

"If you hold pressure long enough and hard enough, you're going to compromise the blood flow to the brain," Sutterer continued. "Whenever the brain has impaired blood flow, eventually the response sort of down the line effect is you lose consciousness. You lose consciousness and you pass out."

(starts at 1:25 mark):

Sutterer states that external pressure like the one applied during a blood choke can also lead to the body falsely assuming that blood pressure is high and it causes the heart rate to go down. It again could lead to the individual passing out.

Fortunately, it appears Draymond didn't put too much force into that chokehold, as Gobert never seemed to be on the cusp of passing out. Regardless, it was a very dangerous act from Green and Sutterer believes he should be suspended for multiple weeks.

While I'm not sure if the NBA will come down that hard, a suspension of some sort does seem very likely at this point. If Green did not have a history of committing violent acts on the court, he might have gotten away with no suspension, but he does have it.


Who Is Brian Sutterer?

For those wondering who exactly Sutterer is, he is a physiatrist in Rochester, Minnesota, and is affiliated with many hospitals in the area, including Mayo Clinic. He received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine and has been in practice for over 5 years now.

Sutterer is an avid sports fan as well and uses his YouTube channel along with social media, to combine his two passions. He reviews sports injuries and explains them in a way in which even a casual fan can understand what went on in a certain situation. Sutterer has gained quite a following over the years, with his channel now having over 700,000 subscribers.


Brian Sutterer Explained Why The Cause Of Bronny James' Cardiac Arrest Was Positive News

Sutterer had also shared his thoughts on Bronny James' cardiac arrest earlier this year. James had collapsed during practice at USC and had been rushed to a hospital. While his condition was fortunately revealed to be stable, there were serious question marks regarding his basketball career.

When it was revealed that what caused the cardiac arrest to Bronny was a congenital issue, Sutterer stated it was great news. He said that in such cases, it is often difficult to pinpoint what caused the attack, and the fact that it is congenital, means he can fully recover and get back on the court. 

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