Ex-Flash center suffers stroke

According to an online blog post from Utah Flash owner Brandt Andersen, former NBA and Flash center James Lang suffered a life-threatening "stroke on the day after Thanksgiving" that has him "paralyzed on the left side of his body."

Lang — who played six preseason games for the Jazz in 2005 — was in training camp with the Flash last month, but according to a news release from the team, the 26-year-old was "waived for medical reasons" on Nov. 18.

Blogged Andersen, who said he learned of the news Saturday and subsequently had spoken directly with Lang's mother:

"He had spent the summer really working on his weight and it showed. He was as small as I had ever seen him. Probably down 40-50 lbs from the previous season.

"He said that his diet had changed and he was really making strides at keeping his weight under control. It really showed.

"However James was noticeably tired. He was having trouble in camp and we sent him for a checkup. When it was clear there was something wrong we sent him home to receive the necessary care from his doctors."

Selected in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets straight out of his Alabama high school, Lang also has been with Atlanta and Toronto on 10-day NBA contracts — but he never did play for any of those three teams.

He was to have played for the Jazz's 2006 Rocky Mountain Revue summer-league team but was sent home early due to high blood pressure.

Lang did, however, appear in 11 games for the Washington Wizards during the 2006-07 NBA season.

He played 81 games with 41 starts over the past two seasons for the Orem-based DLeague club, including 33 games last season.

"Our thoughts and prayers," Andersen blogged Saturday, "will be with James as he works through this new challenge."

e-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com