As soon as Ronny Turiaf heard Celtics forward Jeff Green would miss the NBA season because of an aortic aneurysm that will require surgery, he called his agent to find out how to contact him. The recently acquired Wizards center’s NBA dream was similarly put on hold after he was drafted in 2005 when a physical exam revealed an enlarged aortic root.
“I know that 24 to 48 hours after I learned about my condition, I was in a funk,” Turiaf said. “I will do whatever I can to talk to him because I know for myself I had Fred Hoiberg to guide me through it.”
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Georgetown coach John Thompson III would approve, having seen how the unknown has affected his former star.
“I’ve seen the progression from terrified to confident,” Thompson said. “That comes with education, and that comes with truly understanding what he is going through, what he has to go through. … Each day that has grown.”
Hoyas freshman center Tyler Adams is also sidelined because of heart concerns, and the Sacramento Kings voided Chuck Hayes’ four-year, $21.3 million contract Monday, saying he failed a physical — a heart abnormality was revealed last week.
Turiaf had open heart surgery the summer before his rookie season and surprisingly returned by January. The experience left an indelible impression.
“I cheated life,” Turiaf said. “I almost died. That’s what I tell people all the time. … So I think after you get close to going upstairs and seeing the Great Architect, you realize that life is really a good one. You have to be grateful for what you have and not necessarily see what you don’t have.”
– Craig Stouffer
