In the world of professional sports, there is one department that carries the heaviest weight, healthcare. The medical expertise plays a crucial role in sustaining athletes’ careers. Doctors and surgeons are the unsung heroes behind the scenes, ensuring players recover from injuries and continue performing at the highest level. One such expert is Dr. Richard Ferkel, a doctor who Golden State Warriors fans must be aware of. The Warriors Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson are some of them who have been grateful to him for their entire lifetime. So come let’s look at him and know why he is so special to the Splash bros.

Who is Dr. Richard Ferkel? The Doctor Who Saved Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson

Dr. Richard Ferkel is someone who the sports world has seen him curing athletes. He is a famous orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine and reconstructive surgery. Known for his expertise in knee, shoulder, foot, and ankle injuries, he has played a critical role in the recovery of the NBA’s own Splash Brothers. Graduated from Northwestern University Medical School, he has worked with professional athletes across multiple sports, including the U.S. Soccer Team, NFL, and NBA. However, his pioneering work in arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine has made him a key figure in helping professional athletes overcome career-threatening injuries.

Dr. Ferkel’s contributions to Curry and Thompson’s careers cannot be overstated. Recently Thompson expressed his true feelings about him, “It was really cool seeing Dr. Ferkel that night man re-attached my Achilles so to see him and see how far I have come from operating table being out there on a nightly basis.” Back in November 2022, the surgeon helped Captain Klay repaire his right Achilles. Thanks to his surgery, the hooper was healthy and made the Golden State Warriors win their fourth NBA championship. As a tone of love, after the Mavs vs. Lakers match yesterday, Splash Bro gifted Doctor the 2022 Warriors championship ring to which the Mavs guard/ forward said, “Without you, I would not have been the second-leading scorer on a championship team. I can’t thank you enough.”

Meanwhile, for the golden boy, Ferkel performed a surgery that changed his career. On his right ankle in 2012 after a series of troubling injuries. This injury had already caused him to miss a major amount of time, and there were doubts about whether Curry could return to his elite level of play. But, Dr. Ferkel came as an angel and performed an exploratory procedure, revealing a stable ankle free from structural damage. After cleaning out scar tissue and loose debris, Curry was under a strict rehab regimen under the Doctor’s guidance. However, for the Splash brothers, their relationship with the Surgeon goes far beyond what words can explain and Dr. Ferkel is definitely an unsung hero to them. However, to know more about how good Dr. Ferkel was here’s what Stephen Curry’s father says.

“A Nervous Wait”: Dell Curry reflects on the ankle surgery

In 2012 some days were filled with uncertainty for Dell Curry and his son, Stephen Curry. The Warriors’ veteran had suffered through multiple ankle sprains and was under the knife for a crucial surgery. “It was a nervous, intense, long day for surgery,” Dell recalled. He and Jeff Austin, who’s Steph’s agent, waited outside Dr. Richard Ferkel’s operating room as hours dragged on. The anxiety was palpable, and they had no idea what the outcome would be.

After hours of silence, the doctor finally said, “It wasn’t bad. It was just a clean-out.” Dell and Austin could hardly believe it. The worst-case scenario had been avoided. No reconstruction, no long recovery. The procedure was as simple as it could get. “We didn’t hear from him, and it’s taking a long time,” Austin recalled. “Did [Ferkel] go ahead and do this reconstruction without telling us?”

Back then Curry was just 24 and he had been facing a major moment in his career. He played only 26 games in the 2011-2012 season, his future with the Warriors was uncertain. He’d already had one surgery on his right ankle, but his injuries persisted. That’s when Dr. Ferkel stepped in. Curry, worried about the surgery’s outcome, was just as anxious as his father. “When I went under, I was hoping for option No. 1,” Curry said, referring to the clean-out surgery that would get him back on the court quickly.

The procedure paid off in ways they couldn’t have imagined. Golden Boy returned to the court within months and went on to revolutionize the game of basketball. He was soon leading the Warriors to a 47-35 record and solidified his place as one of the greatest players of his era. “It speaks to the trust of you and Jeff to be in the space,” Curry said of his father and agent.

In hindsight, that moment in 2012 seemed like a small blip. But for Dell, Austin, and Steph, it marked the beginning of something monumental. They never will forget the fear they felt before that surgery, but they will always be grateful for Dr. Ferkel’s skill. That clean-out was the first step toward a career full of MVPs, championships, and game-changing moments.