NBA fans were given a shock on Monday night when commentator Bob Rathbun suffered a medical emergency live on air ahead of the Atlanta Hawks' clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
During a conversation with co-commentator Dominique Wilkins, Rathbun passed out in his chair at State Farm Arena, suffering what appeared to be a seizure before the camera cut away. However, it has since been confirmed that he was instead suffering from dehydration, and he was taken to a nearby hospital for assessment. He is now in a stable condition.
Rathbun is a name synonymous with the Altlanta sports scene, calling Hawks for more than a quarter of a century and he also covers the city's WNBA franchise, the Atlanta Dream. He also spent almost a decade calling games for MLB franchise the Atlanta Braves.
A statement from broadcaster Bally Sports Southeast gave an update on the 68-year-old's condition. It read: "Prior to tonight's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, play-by-play announcer Bob Rathbun briefly lost consciousness on the court.
"Emergency medical professionals on-site quickly treated Rathbun for dehydration. He is stable, responsive and heading to Emory Midtown (hospital) for further evaluation."
Rathbun's broadcast colleague Kelly Crull said she spoke to Rathbun on Tuesday, sharing a positive update on his condition.
"Great news everyone," she tweeted. "Just heard from our friend Bob Rathbun who assured me he is feeling much better, just physically exhausted.
"He’s hoping to be released from the hospital shortly and then he’ll be home resting. Keep those prayers coming and let’s get Bob back on his feet ASAP."
It was a tough night on the court for the Hawks (13-11), losing 121-114 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander starring with 35 points for OKC (11-13).
The concerns for Rathbun's health continued a turbulent period for the Hawks, with rising star Trae Young forced to sit out Friday's win over the Denver Nuggets amid rising tensions with head coach Nate McMillan.
“I thought they were able to break down our defense early in the game and forced the defense to collapse and they had their kick-outs,” McMillan said after Monday's defeat. “They established the tempo that they wanted to play and with that and our help in the turnovers and outworking us on the glass, it’s going to be tough to beat them.”
