Lakers hire Dr. Vanessa Brooks as head athletic trainer

The Lakers have hired Dr. Vanessa Brooks as their head athletic trainer, people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly on the matter told The Times. The position on the Lakers’ medical staff had been open after Roger Sancho left the organization to take a job with the Phoenix Suns.

Brooks worked with the Oklahoma City Thunder since 2019. She was the first Black woman to be dual certified as an athletic trainer and physical therapist.

She’s the latest hire in a restructuring of the Lakers’ medical staff this offseason, with Brooks working under Dr. Leroy Sims, who the team hired as its director of player performance.

According to Brooks’ LinkedIn profile, she’s one of two certified trainers on the NBA’s Emergency Preparedness Committee, which crafts the cardiac, neck and spine emergency protocols for the league.

The Lakers will hold media day on Monday before opening training camp on Tuesday.

She’s expected to be with the team at the start of training camp.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .