It was training camp in 2009 and Francisco Garcia of the Kings was doing something you see a lot — lifting weights while balancing on a stability ball. Work on strength and balance at once.
Garcia was on the Gymnic “Burst Resistant” Plus Stability Ball.
Turns out, not so burst resistant. The ball burst and Garcia went flying. Which would all be very America’s Funniest Home Videos…
Except for the broken arm Garcia suffered. He played only 25 games that season. Only 58 the next.
Tuesday Garcia filed a lawsuit against the Italian manufacturer and American distributor of the ball. The suit says that the ball was advertised as being able to handle up to 600 pounds of pressure. I have no idea what Garcia can bench, but he plus the weights got nowhere near 600 pounds, I promise you.
This suit follows the Kings filing a similar lawsuit.
Every other NBA team has stopped using this brand of ball.