LaMarcus Aldridge cleared to return to Spurs four days after heart scare
The San Antonio Spurs and their fans breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday, when team doctors determined that power forward LaMarcus Aldridge — sidelined just four days ago by a “minor heart arrhythmia” — is fit and stable enough to be cleared to resume basketball activities.
[Fill out your NCAA tournament bracket here | Printable version]
From the Spurs’ Wednesday announcement:
After Aldridge had an occurrence of a minor heart arrhythmia in Oklahoma City on March 9, the Spurs medical staff led a process that included multiple tests and examinations as well as consultation with numerous experts in the field.
“We are thankful that LaMarcus will be able to rejoin the team,” said Spurs general manager RC Buford. “All of us have been impressed with the professionalism and grace he has shown in dealing with this difficult situation.”
Thank you to everyone for the prayers and support. Y'all helped me through a difficult time and for that I'm very grateful.
— Lamarcus Aldridge (@aldridge_12) March 15, 2017
According to Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, the 31-year-old Aldridge has been “dealing with this difficult situation” for longer than we’d realized. From Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express News:
“He has dealt with this all year long, which nobody really knew about,” Popovich said. “Being a consummate pro, he was able to do everything that was necessary to bring this to some sort of a conclusion. And that wasn’t easy. Throughout the year, he has gone through some procedures and had to do some things that are not pleasant and he has shown a lot of class and a lot of fortitude in the way he has done it all.”
[Follow Ball Don’t Lie on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tumblr]
Heart issues have plagued Aldridge in the past, as detailed last weekend by Matthew Tynan of USA TODAY Sports:
Aldridge was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome during his rookie season in Portland, a condition in which an extra electrical pathway between your heart’s upper and lower chambers causes a rapid heartbeat, according the the Mayo Clinic’s website. The extra pathway is present at birth and fairly rare. He also had a recurrence in 2011, but Spurs spokesman Tom James reiterated that Saturday’s announcement wasn’t related to any prior incidents.
While this particular issue was serious enough for the Spurs to hold Aldridge out until it could be fully sorted, it thankfully appears to have been resolved. The Spurs say Aldridge — a five-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection who has averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game as the starting four man for 52-14 San Antonio this season — can return to the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the team with which Aldridge spent the first nine years of his NBA career, and that he will be able to proceed without any restrictions or limitations on his minutes.
“We are obviously thrilled about that, but more importantly thrilled that the doctors feel that he is fine in the sense that we are not putting him in danger or anything like that,” Popovich said Wednesday. “That is the most important part.”
More NBA coverage:
– – – – – – –
Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
