Veteran of more than two NBA decades is currently in his 13th season as head athletic trainer (joined Knicks on Jul. 12, 2005)...Big Apple native is just the sixth head trainer in the franchise’s 70-year history, joining Jim Nevins, Don Friederichs, Bill Norris, Danny Whelan and Mike Saunders.
Currently in his 25th overall NBA season...Served for eight years (1996-97 through 2003-04) as head athletic trainer for the Dallas Mavericks...Joined the Mavs after four seasons (1992-93 through 1995-96) as assistant athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach for the Atlanta Hawks, serving under longtime Hawks trainer Joe O’Toole...Served as host athletic trainer for the East squad at the 2015 NBA All-Star Game at MSG.
Winner of the 2015 Bill Chisolm Professional Service Award, given by the ethnic diversity advisory committee of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA); award named in memory of Roger’s mentor at Brooklyn College...Certified athletic trainer (1981), performance enhancement specialist (2006) and corrective exercise specialist (2007)...Completed level one training in dry needling therapy in Summer ’15...Served as strength and conditioning coach for gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team at the 1996 Atlanta Games...From 2001-04, served as president of the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization that promotes the athletic training profession and raises funds for deserving groups and charities; currently serves as liaison between the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association and the NATA...Serves as a liaison between the NATA and NBATA by coordinating the annual Gary Vitti/NATA Blood Drive, as well as, the Ron Culp/NATA Student Cadaver Workshop…Contributing author of three books: The Sports Medicine Field Manual (an ITunes e-book released in 2015); Total Fitness the NBA Way (Perennial Currents, 2000) and Condition the NBA Way (Cadell & Davies, 1994).
Heavily involved in off-the-court charitable initiatives...Participates in Athletes in Action Sports Performance...Speaker at The Brooklyn College Academy for past two years presenting career track to graduating seniors…Serves on Indiana State University’s Athletic Training Education Advisory Council…In summers of 2010 and 2011, traveled to Mexico City to help coordinate basketball clinics for the Eduardo Najera Foundation...In 2009 and 2010, served as guest reader for pre-schoolers as part of City of Newark’s Head Start health awareness program for youth and parents...In 2010, co-hosted an online film-web program for the NBA/Taco Bell Light Menu Initiative, teaming with Brandon Jennings and Basketball Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo...In August 2009, visited his birthplace for the first time in more than three decades by hosting a basketball training workshop for the Trinidad and Tobago Basketball Federation in Port of Spain, Trinidad...Addressed West Point Cadets at Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting in September 2009.
Enjoyed 12-year tenure at the College of Charleston prior to his NBA career...Served as school’s head athletic trainer (1980 through 1990) and director of sports medicine (1990 through 1992)...Also served as an adjunct professor in the health, physical education and recreation department and as a strength and conditioning coach.
62 years old; born Aug. 24, 1955 in Port of Spain, Trinidad; moved to Brooklyn with his family at age eight...One of six children...Avid Knicks fan during his formative years in NYC...Member of Brooklyn Prep’s final graduating class (1972)...Earned bachelor of science degree in physical education from Brooklyn College in 1977 and master of science degree in physical education from Indiana State in 1978.
Roger and his wife Carmen have four children (Jade, Aja, Andre and Greg) and four grandchildren...The Hinds family is active in local church activities.