Brooklyn Nets' LaMarcus Aldridge announces shock retirement from NBA due to health issues
In a shock announcement on Thursday, Brooklyn Nets center LaMarcus Aldridge has announced his retirement from the NBA.
The 35-year-old had a hugely successful career in the league as one of the most consistent frontcourt players of the last decade. He will retire as a 7-time All-Star who also earned a place in 5 All-NBA teams.
His last game for the Brooklyn Nets came on Saturday night against the LA Lakers, in which Aldridge scored 12 points and grabbed 3 boards in 23 minutes. The irregularity in his heartbeat that he felt during and after the game is what prompted the announcement of Aldridge's retirement as he looks to put his health and family first.
LaMarcus Aldridge retires after 15 years in the NBA
After experiencing an irregular heartbeat on Saturday night, Aldridge went to the hospital the next day before making the decision. Although he has since announced he feels a lot better, it may have been too dangerous for him to continue this season at such a high level.
LaMarcus Aldridge's announcement that he would be leaving the NBA in his 15th season will have been extremely difficult. Not only because he had a legitimate chance at a first career championship but because he felt he still had a lot to give to the stacked roster.
In his short stint with Brooklyn, Aldridge averaged 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks on an average of just 26 minutes. He would have been vital in the paint on both ends of the floor for the Nets going into the playoffs and brought plenty of postseason experience to the locker room.
LaMarcus Aldridge played the majority of his career in the NBA with just two franchises - the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs.
Drafted as the 2nd overall pick in 2006, Aldridge was named in the All-Rookie team after averaging 9 points and 5 rebounds in his debut season for the Trail Blazers. He then spent eight more seasons with the franchise, dominating the league at power forward, averaging over 17 points every year. Through the 2013-14 and 14-15 seasons, his last two in Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge put up over 23 points every night and 10.6 rebounds.
He earned 4 All-Star appearances there before moving to the San Antonio Spurs, where he spent a further five full seasons, earning three more All-Star selections.
Throughout his NBA career, LaMarcus Aldridge was a serial scorer from the field, averaging 19.4 points and was an efficient shooter, with an accuracy of 49.1% on 16 attempts per game. For a big man, he was a particularly impressive free-throw shooter, earning 4.3 trips to the line every night and sinking 81.1%.
LaMarcus Aldridge retires having racked up close to 20,000 career points and over 8,400 rebounds. His retirement is well-deserved and will now be able to now focus on his health and his family after the weekend's scary ordeal.