NBA Players Union Urges Members to Agree to More Drug Testing

The National Basketball Association (NBA) players union has recommended that its members agree to additional drug testing, including offseason screening for performance-enhancing drugs.

The Associated Press reports the union’s Executive Director, Billy Hunter, sent a memo to players explaining changes to a new labor deal, and recommending they ratify the agreement.

The memo says a joint committee of the union and the NBA would study the possibility of a testing program for human growth hormone (HGH).

Major League Baseball and its players recently agreed to begin testing for HGH during spring training. The NFL’s new labor contract includes a provision for HGH testing as early as this season, provided the players union approves the process. The union has said it wants more information about the test.

Under the basketball players agreement, beginning in the 2012-13 season, players can be tested up to two times during the offseason, but only for steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. The NBA has not previously tested players during its offseason.

Players began voting on the deal this week, and team owners are holding a meeting Thursday to vote.