NEW YORK -- The best thing young players can do for their basketball careers is not play too much basketball.They should participate in other sports and delay specializing in just basketball until they are at least 14 years old. They should also take at least one day off from organized competition each week and extended time off at least once a year for proper physical and mental recovery.Those were among the guidelines announced Monday by the NBA and USA Basketball to begin Jr. NBA Week. The Jr. NBA is the leagues youth basketball participation program for boys and girls ages 6-14. The research and recommendations come from panels of medical experts, former players, and coaches and administrators throughout basketball.They found that athletes who have the most success played multiple sports at a young age and didnt focus on a specific one until late adolescence.The idea of sampling and participating in other sports does not mean youre getting behind, said Dr. John DiFiori, NBA director of sports medicine and UCLA team physician. They actually provide a strong foundation for success in your sport.LeBron James, perhaps the NBAs best player, played football through his junior year of high school. But those who focus on basketball too soon face some risks that can last well beyond their teen years.Theres a concern that single sport specialization may contribute to injuries and may also contribute to basically loss of interest in the sport from sort of the repetition of incessant participation in one activity, DiFiori said, adding there are cases of young athletes developing overuse injuries specific to a certain sport.NBA commissioner Adam Silver has made player health one of his biggest concerns, working to create a schedule that allows more time for rest and recovery. The league went further earlier this year by looking into the youth levels.Working groups were created in the areas of health and wellness, playing standards, and curriculum and instruction. Their guidelines stressed the importance of time away from the court, with recommendations on amount of practice and game time, and even amount of sleep.I think sometimes parents and coaches can forget that there are only so many hours in the day and that when you have someone whos going to high school and theyre at school from 8 oclock to 2 oclock, or to 3 oclock, and then theyre at practice for a couple of hours and they need time to study, they need time to eat, they need time to commute back and forth to school and practices, they need time to sleep, DiFiori said. They need time to recover. Its important that people actually look at that and realize that you cant pack everything into one day and still necessarily have a healthy situation.The guidelines suggest limiting high-density competition, such as tournaments that feature multiple games in a short period of time.DiFiori noted the guidelines apply only to organized competition, saying that individual practice time or pickup games are beneficial. They have been endorsed by numerous youth organizations, athletic apparel companies and supported by the NCAA.Were sending a message to families, young athletes, coaches about rethinking how we do things at the youth level, he said. Cheap Nike Shoes China . Haas said he "felt a lot of pain" in his right shoulder when he slammed his racket to the ground in frustration after losing his serve at 3-3 in the first set. Wholesale Nike Shoes . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. http://www.cheapnikeshoesdiscount.com/ . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Discount Nike Shoes . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. ESPN Chalks Vegas experts are here to provide analysis and best bets for all Week 13 games, including the Sunday night matchup between Carolina and Seattle.Note: All odds courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook as of Saturday morning.Matchup: Carolina Panthers at Seattle SeahawksSpread: Opened Seattle -6.5; now Seattle -7 (-120) Total: Opened 45; now 444 PickCenter public consensus pick: 53 percent CarolinaPublic perception: The public is split on this game -- with the line up to a full touchdown -- as other bet-tracking sites are showing more support for Seattle.dddddddddddd ' ' '