Just last night/this morning, I blogged about Chris "Mad Dog" Russo screaming into oblivion about Kevin Durant taking a night off for load management while dealing with multiple injuries. Today in why we should not assume things (even though I'm just as guilty) because you never know what people are truly dealing with, another Brooklyn Net, LaMarcus Aldridge, retired out of thin air after announcing he's been dealing with an irregular heartbeat.
— LaMarcus Aldridge (@aldridge_12) April 15, 2021
LaMarcus has made his money, been a 7x All-Star and 5x All-NBA performer. At 35 years old, nearing the end of his career, the one thing missing from his resume was a ring. So when he signed with the Brooklyn Nets less than a month ago after his contract was bought out by the San Antonio Spurs, it seemed like a natural fit for a guy this late in his career. He had only appeared in five games with the Nets, his last on April 10th against the Lakers.
I mean, your heart breaks (maybe not the best metaphor here?) for LA. Nobody wants to see a career end like this, but it's a trillion times better than his heart giving out on the court. There's a tragic history of undetected heart-related deaths in basketball; Hank Gathers, Reggie Lewis, and Pistol Pete being the textbook examples. While I'm sure he wishes he could still play on this title contending team, you have to respect him for realizing that ball is not literally life. It's a tough call, but the right one, and I commend LaMarcus Aldridge for doing what was best for him and his family for the long haul. You could say he's blazing a trail for the rest of his life. I love that the Nets are keeping him on as an assistant coach (at least according to wiki). Are people debating whether or not he's a Hall of Famer yet because this is definitely the appropriate time!
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