Lifetime Longhorn LaMarcus Aldridge retires after 16 NBA seasons
LaMarcus Aldridge, one of the greatest basketball players ever to don a Texas uniform, announced his retirement on Friday in a classic, understated style befitting the legend that he became.
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Aldridge posted on his Twitter account that he was hanging up his high tops after 16 seasons in the NBA that included seven all-star game appearances.
“In the words of TB12 (Tom Brady), you only get one big, emotional retirement,” Aldridge posted. “So, on that note…I’m thankful for all the memories, family and friends I made throughout my career. It was one hell of a ride, and I enjoyed every minute.”
Like Brady, it is Aldridge’s second retirement – and likely his last.
Aldridge stepped away from the game during the 2020-21 campaign after concerns about an irregular heartbeat. Once he was medically cleared to return to play, he re-joined the league with the Brooklyn Nets on a one-year deal, averaging 12.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in in 47 games (12 starts) in what turned out to be his final professional season.
The 37-year-old Aldridge reached the 20,000 career points milestone in his one season in Brooklyn. Aldridge finished with 20,558 points and averaged 19.1 points and 8.1 rebounds in 1,076 games (997 starts) with the Portland, San Antonio, and Nets.
Aldridge forged a two-year collegiate career at the University of Texas (2004-06) under coach Rick Barnes. During that period the Longhorns went 20-11 (9-7 in Big 12 play) and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and then 30-7 (13-3 in Big 12) with a conference championship and a run to the NCAA’s Elite Eight.
Aldridge was picked second overall by Portland in 2006. He was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome — an abnormality that can cause a rapid heartbeat — as a rookie in 2007.
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He was a member of the 2007 All-Rookie First Team and his teams had 632 NBA wins in his career. Aldridge is one of just three players in NBA history to amass 20,000-plus points, 8,000-plus rebounds, 2,000-plus assists, 1,000-plus blocks and 200-plus 3-pointers; the other two are LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki.
Aldridge spent nine seasons with the Trail Blazers and his best years were his last two in Portland from 2013-15 in which he averaged 23.2 points and 11.1 rebounds and then 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds, respectively. He had four of his All-Star appearances as a member of the Trail Blazers.
Aldridge signed with the Spurs as a free agent in 2015, garnering three more All-Star nods and helping San Antonio to two 60-win seasons and a Western Conference finals berth in 2016-17.
Aldridge earned spots on the All-NBA second team two times and the All-NBA third team three times.
Aldridge’s career high for points in a game was 56, accomplished on Jan. 10, 2019 for the Spurs at home against Oklahoma City. He did not have a 3-pointer in the game.
Prior to coming to the 40 Acres, Aldridge attended Seagoville High School in the southeast Dallas suburbs where he became a second-team Parade All-America and was Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) Class 4A Player of the Year.
