NIL
Creighton basketball star inspires others through NIL partnership
For years, athletes with diabetes have had to manage their blood glucose levels while maintaining their competitiveness on the court or field.Now, some are getting the opportunity to profit from their name, image and likeness by telling their stories of resilience. One of those athletes is Creighton men’s basketball player Isaac Traudt.Most people know Traudt for what he has done on the court, from high school at Grand Island to being a key piece for the Creighton Bluejays this upcoming season. What most people do not know is his battle off the court with Type 1 diabetes.”It’s tough. It’s a lot more than most people would think. I have to be very discipline and kind of picky and choosy with what I eat, and sleep’s a big factor in that,” Traudt said.It’s a battle that started for Traudt 17 years ago at just the age of 4.”When I was really young, I’d have to prick my finger probably 10 or 15 times a day to get a blood sugar reading and in between the hour or two that you weren’t pricking your finger, you don’t know what your blood sugar is. It could be dropping, it could be going up,” Traudt said.Now, thanks to advances in technology, Traudt has access to his blood glucose levels every five minutes on his phone. It’s done through his Dexcom continuous glucose monitor. It’s a patch on his back that communicates with his insulin pump.”It’s really advanced now, and it makes it a lot easier to be a Type 1 diabetic playing basketball. I really can’t imagine doing it without this technology. I feel like it’d be really difficult,” Traudt said.It’s not just technology that has changed, but the landscape of college athletics as well. Traudt is now part of the only name, image and likeness program dedicated to athletes battling diabetes, called Dexcom U.”They’ve helped me kind of speak through my platform to inspire other fellow diabetics,” Traudt said.Traudt and soccer player Ali Ramadan are the only two Creighton athletes in Dexcom U. The two use their diabetes to break misconceptions and inspire others just like them.”I’ve had a lot of fans and parents of kids reach out and be like, ‘You know, I’m Type 1 diabetic, too. You guys inspire me because you’re able to play at this level,” Traudt said. “That part’s my favorite part is to inspire the other people that battle Type 1 diabetes.”NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
For years, athletes with diabetes have had to manage their blood glucose levels while maintaining their competitiveness on the court or field.
Now, some are getting the opportunity to profit from their name, image and likeness by telling their stories of resilience. One of those athletes is Creighton men’s basketball player Isaac Traudt.
Most people know Traudt for what he has done on the court, from high school at Grand Island to being a key piece for the Creighton Bluejays this upcoming season. What most people do not know is his battle off the court with Type 1 diabetes.
“It’s tough. It’s a lot more than most people would think. I have to be very discipline and kind of picky and choosy with what I eat, and sleep’s a big factor in that,” Traudt said.
It’s a battle that started for Traudt 17 years ago at just the age of 4.
“When I was really young, I’d have to prick my finger probably 10 or 15 times a day to get a blood sugar reading and in between the hour or two that you weren’t pricking your finger, you don’t know what your blood sugar is. It could be dropping, it could be going up,” Traudt said.
Now, thanks to advances in technology, Traudt has access to his blood glucose levels every five minutes on his phone. It’s done through his Dexcom continuous glucose monitor. It’s a patch on his back that communicates with his insulin pump.
“It’s really advanced now, and it makes it a lot easier to be a Type 1 diabetic playing basketball. I really can’t imagine doing it without this technology. I feel like it’d be really difficult,” Traudt said.
It’s not just technology that has changed, but the landscape of college athletics as well. Traudt is now part of the only name, image and likeness program dedicated to athletes battling diabetes, called Dexcom U.
“They’ve helped me kind of speak through my platform to inspire other fellow diabetics,” Traudt said.
Traudt and soccer player Ali Ramadan are the only two Creighton athletes in Dexcom U. The two use their diabetes to break misconceptions and inspire others just like them.
“I’ve had a lot of fans and parents of kids reach out and be like, ‘You know, I’m Type 1 diabetic, too. You guys inspire me because you’re able to play at this level,” Traudt said. “That part’s my favorite part is to inspire the other people that battle Type 1 diabetes.”
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |