Brooklyn Nets big man LaMarcus Aldridge announced that his NBA career has come to an end. In a statement posted to his Twitter account on Thursday morning, Aldridge revealed that he played the Nets’ game on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers with an irregular heartbeat, which led to him going to the hospital.
While Aldridge says he is doing better following that scare, he’s made the decision to retire from the NBA after 15 seasons, writing that “it is time to put my health and family first.”
— LaMarcus Aldridge (@aldridge_12) April 15, 2021
The No. 2 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, who subsequently traded him on Draft night, Aldridge had a productive career as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Nets, which he joined after the Spurs bought out his contract last month. A seven-time All-Star selection, Aldridge was revered for being one of the most smooth and effortlessly dominant big men of his generation, averaging 19.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in his career. He looked a snug fit on the Nets’ roster and was expected to add some frontcourt scoring punch to their rotation, but only ended up playing five games.
Aldridge has dealt with heart issues in the past, having been diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in 2007. As Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes noted, he’s undergone multiple procedures related to this during his career.
