LaMarcus Aldridge Retiring from NBA Following Heart Scare

Brooklyn Nets big man and seven-time All-Star player LeMarcus Aldridge announced on Thursday (April 15) that he is retiring from the NBA after experiencing an irregular heartbeat during a game. 

Aldridge shared a post on his social media pages, which read, "My last game, I played while dealing with an irregular heartbeat. Later on that night, my rhythm got even worse which really worried me even more. The next morning, I told the team what was going on and they were great getting me to the hospital and getting me checked out.

"Though I’m better now, what I felt with my heart that night was still one of the scariest things I’ve experienced. With that being said, I’ve made the difficult decision to retire from the NBA. For 15 years, I’ve put basketball first, and now it is time to put my health and family first." 

Nets GM Sean Marks reacted to Aldridge's retirement, writing, "The Nets organization fully supports LaMarcus’ decision, and while we value what he has brought to our team during his short time in Brooklyn, his health and well being are far more important than the game of basketball. We know this was not an easy decision for him, but after careful consideration and consultation with numerous medical experts, he has made the best decision for him, his family and for his life after basketball."