Why does Cody Zeller wear a face mask? Exploring the Heat star’s unique look amid the ECF clash with the Boston Celtics.
The Miami Heat are currently taking on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat jumped out to a 3-0 lead but were denied a sweep by Boston who managed to win Game 4.
Game 5 takes place tonight (Thursday, 25 May) and the Heat have yet another chance to close out the series.
Why does Cody Zeller wear a mask?
The Heat have a number of players who have been used to excellent effect this series. One of whom is Cody Zeller, who only signed with the organization in February 2023.
During the series with the Celtics, fans have been asking why does Cody Zeller wear a face mask. Zeller wears a clear, protective facemask during games, and it’s because in March he suffered a nasal fracture in a matchup with the Orlando Magic and he’s trying to protect himself.
‘Cody Zeller will be able to wear a mask he had for a previous broken nose, Erik Spoelstra’ reportedly said, ‘with nose to be fixed within the next few days.
Speaking about wearing a mask, Cody said: “I have two. One, when I was with Charlotte (he also played for the Bobcats), they did facial laser mapping, a scan of my face. I didn’t like that one as much.”
That mask Cody prefers is “a plaster cast over your whole face, and just had tiny little tubes in your nose.” He added, “And this one fits a lot better than the laser one.”
He first wore a mask back in 2021
Back in 2021, when he was with the Blazers, Zeller also suffered a broken nose and wore a mask.
“I’m getting used to it,” Zeller said. “It’s mostly just kind of a nuisance, but it’ll help.”
He was able to joked about it though and shared a picture with him wearing it next to Dwight Schrute from The Office wearing a mask:
‘Who wore it better? I’m excited to start year #9!!! Rip City!!!,’ Cody said.
Why do NBA players wear face masks?
Some fans questioned why NBA players in general wear face masks. Over the years we’ve seen a number of high-profile players wear masks including Richard Hamilton, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and even Jaylen Brown in this series.
They are worn as a precautionary measure in order to protect against existing injuries. If a player has a cheek fracture or broken nose they will often wear face masks during games in order to prevent further damage.
They’re not ideal, and some can look better than others, but ultimately they enable to the individual to still play rather than sit on the side-lines.
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