Nets center LaMarcus Aldridge retires from NBA due to a heart problem

LaMarcus Aldridge (Google Images)

According to Hayley McGoldrick of Rogers Sportsnet, seven-time NBA All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge of Dallas, Texas retired on Thursday at the age of 35. The reason for the sudden retirement had to do with Aldridge’s health, because in his final NBA game on April 10 for the Brooklyn Nets against the Los Angeles Lakers, Aldridge was suffering from an irregular heartbeat.

Aldridge was not with the Nets for very long. He just signed with Brooklyn from the San Antonio Spurs on March 28.

In 26 games this season, Aldridge was averaging 13.5 points per game, 4.5 points per game, 1.9 assists per game, 1.1 blocks per game, a field goal percentage of .473, a three-point percentage of .388, and a free throw percentage of .872. Aldridge’s best game this season came in a 118-109 Spurs win over the Lakers on January 7, as he scored 28 points. Aldridge’s best game with the Nets came on April 7 in a 139-111 Nets win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Aldridge scored 22 points and was an impressive +22.

Aldridge played 15 NBA seasons with the Nets, Spurs, and Portland Trail Blazers from 2006 to 2021, and averaged 19.4 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, and two assists per game. He had a career field goal percentage of .491, a three-point percentage of .321, and a free throw percentage of .811.

Aldridge was a seven-time All-Star. Four times came with the Trail Blazers (2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015), and three times with the Spurs (2016, 2018, and 2019).

A second overall pick of the Chicago Bulls in the 2006 NBA Draft, Aldridge had his rights traded to Portland soon afterward. The only player selected above him in the 2006 NBA Draft was Andrea Bargnani of Rome, Italy, who the Toronto Raptors selected first overall. Aldridge played his college basketball at the University of Texas.

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