Adia Barnes continues Lute Olson's longstanding ties, support of U of A's Arthritis Center

This time, however, it was about her aches and pains as a retired basketball player. She played professionally for 13 seasons, both in North America and overseas, after her four seasons as a star on the court for Arizona.

This time, speaking with the Star, she revealed that she will need to get knee replacements — both of them. ... eventually.

After years of pounding on those knees, a torn ACL and resulting arthritis, Barnes is working with her friend, Dr. Kent Kwoh, the director of University of Arizona’s Arthritis Center, to delay those surgeries as long as she can.

She stays in shape, gets shots to ease the pain and now is also turning to a new, special knee brace.

Barnes knows she isn’t the only one. So many of her former teammates have arthritis, and she estimated that 10 of her 14 current Wildcats will most likely face the disease at some point in their lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 3 adults suffer from arthritis.

That’s why it was a perfect match when the Arthritis Center was looking for another Arizona coach to champion the cause.

Nearly 40 years ago, legendary men’s basketball coach Lute Olson started the partnership between the Arthritis Center and the Athletic Department.

Now, Barnes is carrying on Olson’s legacy.

On Oct. 10, Barnes spoke at the Bear Down Celebration, the Arthritis Center’s fundraising event.

“Anything you can continue from coach Lute Olson, is just an honor to be a part of,” Barnes said.

“They could have chosen anyone to do this. It just means a lot because he only represented certain causes. This was his baby for years, so when they asked me to take it over, I was honored. It’s a really good center that does great work and world-renowned research.”

The Arthritis Center’s ultimate goal is to eradicate arthritis through its research, education and care. Kwoh, who has been with the Center since 2013, said he is driven to do this important work because “When you see patients, you affect one person at a time. When you do research, you can protect the community.”

“That’s really key,” Kwoh he added.

Although, he still enjoys seeing patients like Barnes.

“Seeing patients is important; unfortunately, former athletes have problems with arthritis and osteoarthritis,” Kwoh said. “Injury is really a huge issue, and so that’s part of the work that we do, in terms of looking at osteoarthritis and trying to understand risk factors and early detection so that ultimately we can have better treatments and hopefully someday a cure.”

This is the third year that Barnes has participated in this event. The last two years, there were audience limitations because of COVID-19.

This time out, the event was sold out. In a room full of upwards of 300 people, Barnes spoke about how she “can’t bend, she can’t move” and sometimes needs three consecutive shots to help ease the arthritis in her knees.

“It’s a hard reality, but we all go through it,” Barnes told those in attendance.

Barnes brought her the entire team to this year’s event, a move that hearkened back to what Olson used to do — though it looked different back then, according to former UA standout Reggie Geary.

Geary, who played for Olson from 1992-96 and currently works in the UA athletic department as a director of development, recalled golf outings way back when with Olson and supporters of the cause.

“Anytime you got a bunch of basketball players, you put clubs in their hands and you’ve never had clubs in your hands, it can be a dangerous thing,” Geary said with a laugh.

“I remember the donors always enjoying it, having a great time. Probably not knowing then, but knowing now. it was raising a lot of money and doing a lot of good in the community. I like the fact that the women’s team was here, had a little more presence in terms of what this cause was about, and how it could affect their lives going forward. I thought that was a special.”

It was always the plan for Barnes to bring her team to this annual event. It’s about being in the community, connecting her players “to great people on campus, and it’s a great organization,” she said.

As the evening wore on, Barnes and her players, as well as UA athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois, took questions from the crowd. Barnes stayed up to an hour after the event had ended, chatting with many of those in attendance.

Tracy Shake has known Barnes since she was a 17-year-old freshman at Arizona. Shake worked directly with former UA coach Joan Bonvicini and the women’s basketball team as part of the athletic department’s communications team and as director of the department’s C.A.T.S. Life Skills program. She said that Barnes “is the same; she really is.”

Added Shake, now the Arthritis Center’s director of outreach and education: “She’s always been one that has recognized that community is incredibly important.”