LaMarcus Aldridge Details ‘Scariest Night Ever’ That Forced Him to Retire

Perennial NBA All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge announced his retirement in April due to an irregular heartbeat, a decision he had to make even though he “definitely wasn’t ready to hang it up.” Aldridge sat down with Shams Charania of The Athletic in an interview to talk about the final days in his NBA career.

LaMarcus was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which can cause a rapid heartbeat, in 2006.

During an April 10 game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Aldridge dished the details on what went down.

“I had irregular rhythm the whole game, and I hadn’t experienced that before,” Aldridge told The Athletic. “Normally when I get on the court, my case study is that I would go into regular rhythm as I got my heart rate up. It had never been out of rhythm in a game and then it was out of rhythm for the Lakers game and I was just off and couldn’t get no energy. I just couldn’t get myself going. I couldn’t figure out what was going on.”

Ultimately it was the final game of his career.

“It was still off after the game, but at like two, three in the morning, it got really, really crazy. My heart was beating really crazy, and that’s when it got really bad for me. From two to five in the morning, I was just trying to evoke some breathing and then around 5:30 or so, I texted the team doctor and I went to the hospital. It was probably the scariest night ever.” I can hurt my head on the floor. I can be paralyzed. What if I’m going for a dunk and I black out? There’s so many things that can happen in a bad way.

His heart had started to return to normal by the time he got to the hospital, but the experience had changed the way he felt about continuing to play. He decided that the risks were too great.

I can be in rhythm one second and out of rhythm the next second. No one can pinpoint when it can happen. It’s very unpredictable, and I didn’t want to keep playing and feeling the way I felt that night anymore and risk … no one knows for 100 percent if you can have something bad happen. My first time in 2006, I blacked out on the bench. That’s when we first found out that I had this condition. So what if I’m on the court and a big guy is coming down the lane, my heart is beating funny, and then I black out? He runs into me, and I can hurt my head on the floor. I can be paralyzed. What if I’m going for a dunk and I black out? There’s so many things that can happen in a bad way.

A conversation with LaMarcus Aldridge: On the scary night that ended his career, battling depression, his biggest NBA regret and more https://t.co/I0T1ElEomI

— Zac🌴🍻🍹 (@newc88) June 1, 2021

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Aldridge joined the Nets in late March after reaching a buyout agreement with the San Antonio Spurs.

The NBA vet was off to a strong start with Brooklyn, averaging 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.2 blocks in five games.

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