[thatdudeParticipant]

Ok sorry guys if I’m mentioning his name again.  But I thought this article was significant as it refutes that a bone test would detemine Biyombo’s age.

 

Doctor explains Bismack Biyombo’s age-determining wrist test

I talked to Dr. Ben Wedro, whom you might remember from his explanation of DeJuan Blair’s lack of ACLs, about how Biyombo’s alleged wrist test works. Wedro – read his blog and follow him on Twitter – said:

Bones in the body calcify at times. There are age ranges when bones in the body can be seen on x-ray. Similarly, there are age ranges when growth plates close. There are a variety of radiology textbooks that are used as reference guides to compare a patient’s x-ray with the book’s “norm”.

Aside from your situation, bone age is useful in determining when a patient enters puberty, perhaps trying to determine ultimate height and how much time there is left for a patient to grow.

The wrist is useful because there are many bones present that calcify at different and predictable times. However, once all the bones have developed and the growth plates closed, the concept of bone age is no longer useful.

There are some blood tests available that can help forensic pathologists try to roughly determine a patient’s age but it is only accurate to nine years  plus or minus.

That blood test obviously wouldn’t help here, so it looks like the wrist test is the best bet. I followed up with Wedro, asking his opinion of the test and whether there was a way to determine the x-ray showed Biyombo’s wrist, not someone else’s. I don’t know who’s seen the x-ray in the last two years, but I’d guess his professional teams have. So, it might not be too difficult to verify NBA teams are receiving the same x-ray taken that was taken two years ago. But how accurate is the test, and what if Crespo used a younger wrist-double in the first place? Wedro:

The wrist x ray would be reasonable accurate in estimating age.

The second question is harder. First, for what reason was an x ray taken two years ago? Was it for an injury or for another reason. Second, in most developed countries. A paper trail would be present that would link the patient to an x ray and its report. I do not know whether record keeping would be as precise as what we would expect to be normal in North America.

I explained that the x-ray was taken to determine his age, not because of an injury. With millions of dollars at stake, it wouldn’t shock me to hear Crespo used someone younger to imitate Biyombo. Wedro:

Unless there was something distinctive about one of the bones, like if there was a previous break that healed poorly, it might be difficult to make a definitive statement.

In the US, the paper trail might include a physician order, a radiology reading report, a bill for the services and they all would have identifying information like a name, birthdate, medical record number, address, etc.

So, unless Biyombo has a distinctive mark on his bones, which might cause a whole new set of issues, this probably comes down to how much you trust Spanish medical records, Crespo and Biyombo.

http://www.pistonpowered.com/2011/04/how-old-is-bismack-biyombo-a-doctor-explains-how-accurately-the-wrist-test-could-determine-biyombos-age/

I guess this basically tells you that there really is no proof of his age and that his agent is doing what he is suppose to do sell Biyombo’s potential.  But buyer’s beware he is a very raw athletic big man and only he knows his real age.  And by all accounts it is in his best monetary interest that he says he is 18 not 20, 22, or 24.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Finally, someone perhaps at least attempts to give validity or otherwise to this situation. I am not saying this completely disproves the "tests" done on Biyombo, but, guys, it sounded like horse$hit in the first place. At least this attempts to actually prove something one way or the other. Good and relevant post to all of this Biyombo discussion.

I am not "hating" on Biyombo, but I feel like there were red flags here that are being taken far too lightly, and that his agent was preaching a fairy tale with these "bone tests". His age may not turn out to be a big deal, but to think that he is 18 without any certification or proof seems like a leap of faith. He is probably whatever age they told him to be, and we will see whether that works out to him being a good prospect in the future.

[B FreeParticipant]

He didn’t dispute the test at all he actually said the tests are accurate, he said their is just no way to know if those are Biyombos wrists.

[butidonthavemoney]

Chop off his head, count the rings in his neck.

It’s the only way to be sure.

[B FreeParticipant]

I think you mean penis

[TyroberParticipant]

 Why is his age such a big deal. Would a team that is set on drafting him really turn him away if hes 22 instead of 18?

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

 No, robertfreeman, I think NoMoney he is referring to how you tell how old a tree is. You chop off the trunk and count the rings that you see. In this case the neck would be comparable to the trunk of a tree. LOL.

I love how this article said that the blood test is only accurate to nine years plus or minus. That means that if it is determined that Biyombo is 18 then he could actually be 27 and ineligible for the draft or he could be 9 and end up growing to be as tall as Hagrid from Harry Potter! Classic LOL

[butidonthavemoney]

Good catch.

Finally made it into the positives there. Congratulations.

[BouncyBallParticipant]

 Why cant they perform the bone test again, this time making sure it’s Biyombo

[B-ball fanParticipant]

Even if Biyombo really is 18, his wrist bones may have calcified, which is what they do at age eighteen.  The tests were seen as significant because they were done when he was allegedly under 18, and they showed that he (or, if you’re cynical, the wrists) couldn’t have been over 18.  The tests were taken for his team in the ACB league, I believe, so I assume the team could potentially vouch for him.

Personally, I think a lot of people on this site seem to be really hoping that Biyombo is older.  I don’t see why the cynicism is so necessary.  If it wasn’t for the fact that Biyombo is the prospect that he is, he wouldn’t be criticized as much.  I don’t see what is wrong with using a lottery pick on a extremely physically gifted center who has been very productive at a professional level, and is known to have a high B-ball IQ and good character in a historically weak draft.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

@b-ball fan, what does it mean when the wrist bones "calcify" and why does mean that they can’t do the wrist test again to determine his age?

I’m guessing it means that once the bones calcify it is impossible to determine or even estimate how old somebody is. Is that right or close?

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I’m no doctor, but I can say that once the bones calcify, they stop growing and are set in their mature, adult position.  

[iminipandaParticipant]

Hes already a gamble with his basketball ability. His age just solidifies the randomness of his NBA potential.

[iminipandaParticipant]

Hes already a gamble with his basketball ability. His age just solidifies the randomness of his NBA potential.

[B FreeParticipant]

lol I know how they age trees, but they cut them off at the trunk, the heads to high up.

[Author]

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