This sickening scenario often means an ankle injury is about to occur, especially for players like Buzelis with a lengthy history of them dating back to his high school years. And he gives the credit to a new ankle protection technology currently spreading around the NBA. Buzelis is one of a number of NBA players who, in the last few years, have begun using “adaptive” ankle brace tech from a company called BetterGuards. The new approach to ankle protection is headlined by a seat-belt-like “locking” mechanism around the outside of the ankle, combined with a level of fit and comfort that’s previously been impossible to achieve with bulky ankle braces. One study found that 33 percent of all NBA players sustained an ankle injury during a recent five-year period, 55 percent of which led to absences of between two and 10 games.