LaMarcus Aldridge Retires: Looking at 7X All-Star illustrious career in NBA
On Friday, March 31st, Shams Charania reported that NBA veteran LaMarcus Aldridge retired from basketball. This marks the second time the veteran big man has closed the book on his storied career. During the 2020-21 season, Aldridge announced his retirement due to health concerns caused by an irregular heartbeat.
Fortunately, he received medical clearance to play before the next season, where he played 47 games for the Brooklyn Nets. The year saw him average 12.9 points per game along with 5.5 rebounds per game.
As a free agent, Aldridge seemed to be holding out hope that he would land with a team this year, however with the playoffs approaching, he's ready to step away.
LaMarcus Aldridge retires as a seven-time All-Star, with more than 20,000 career points to his name.
LaMarcus Aldridge - Taking a look at his career
Throughout the course of his sixteen-year career, LaMarcus Aldridge was named an All-Star seven times. Coming into the league, he was a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a McDonalds All-American. In the 2006 NBA draft, Aldridge was selected second overall by the Chicago Bulls, who traded his rights to the Portland Trail Blazers for their pick, and a pair of players.
As a rookie, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team with an average of 9.0 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game. It wasn’t until his sophomore year in the league that he truly began to find his rhythm. His second season, LaMarcus Aldridge averaged 17.8 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game, and 1.2 blocks per game over 34.9 minutes per game.
Over his nine seasons playing with the Portland Trail Blazers, Aldridge continued to improve, earning himself All-Star honors every year from 2012-2015 with the team. After joining the San Antonio Spurs, he earned All-Star honors in his first season under Gregg Popovich, marking the beginning of the player-coach duo’s six-year run.
With his retirement seemingly official this time, Aldridge will step away from the game at 37-years-old with a legacy tied to two different franchises. With the Portland Trailblazers, Aldridge leads the franchise in all-time rebounds, while ranking second in scoring behind Damian Lillard.
When it comes to his years with the San Antonio Spurs, Aldridge ranks fifth all-time for player efficiency rating.
Below you can see some of his highlights from his 56-point game with the Spurs.