If you have it under control, there is no reason why you cannot excel as an athlete. You need to work closely with your doctor to stay on track. Chris Dudley from the New York Knicks is a diabetic and he obviously competes on a very high level. You also want to strengthen the quadriceps muscles and the hamstrings. You never want to just focus on one muscle group.
Knee pads are definitely good to prevent bruising.
If you are a player that is very aggressive and spends a lot of time on the floor, yes, you should wear them. Ankle braces are good if you have previously sprained your ankles. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form.