The subject of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs isn't very much of an issue on the NBA, if seen by the fines and suspensions given to different players. It's mainly considered misconduct of some sort and if any drugs are involved in the reason for a punishment, they're usually recreational.
In his recent book Furious George, which is set to hit stores in January, former NBA head coach George Karl reveals his suspicions that not everything is what meets the eye.
“We’ve got a more thorough drug-testing program than the NFL or MLB, which we always brag about,” wrote Karl. “But we’ve still got a drug issue, though a different one than thirty years ago. And this one bothers me more than the dumbasses who got in trouble with recreational drugs.
“I’m talking about performance-enhancing drugs—like steroids, human growth hormone, and so on. It’s obvious some of our players are doping. How are some guys getting older — yet thinner and fitter? How are they recovering from injuries so fast? Why the hell are they going to Germany in the off-season? I doubt it’s for the sauerkraut.
“More likely it’s for the newest, hard-to-detect blood boosters and PEDs they have in Europe. Unfortunately, drug testing always seems to be a couple steps behind drug hiding. Lance Armstrong never failed a drug test. I think we want the best athletes to succeed, not the biggest, richest cheaters employing the best scientists. But I don’t know what to do about it.”
It's unclear if this is related to his other now-infamous comments in the book about Carmelo Anthony.
Through his 30 years as a head coach, Karl must have seen a lot of different things through all the different locker rooms he's been a part of, though his inability to pinpoint a specific player or issue (as he's done before) makes it feel more as if he's firing from the hip instead of having a specific aim to target.
While most NBA coaches are aware that drugs still exist in the league, most of them would be rather careful of hinting there's trouble in paradise — but it seems like Karl doesn't plan to return to league circles, so he's unlikely to face any consequences.
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