LaMarcus Aldridge Talks Depression, Retirement, Damian Lillard Relationship, More

Seven-time NBA All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge announced his retirement in April because of an irregular heartbeat, a decision he says was necessary even though he "definitely wasn’t ready to hang it up."

Aldridge told Shams Charania of The Athletic in an interview released Tuesday he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which can cause a rapid heartbeat, in 2006. Something felt different during an April 10 game against the Los Angeles Lakers, though, and it was ultimately the final game of his career:

"It was very tough. I definitely wasn't ready to hang it up and I still felt like I had more to give to a team and I feel I had a lot to give to the Nets. I feel like they needed what I brought to the table, so it was really tough to walk away. They needed an inside scorer and a rim protector, and that's what I do, especially at this phase of my career. I've dealt with WPW, a heart condition, my whole career. I found out about it in 2006, my first year, so I've had some reoccurrences over the years and we've done studies. The doctors would do research to make sure nothing has changed."

He said the way his heart was beating during the Lakers game was something he hadn't experienced before. His heart rate would typically stabilize during a game, but that didn't happen, and it gave him a sensation that "I just couldn't get myself going."

The 6'11'' post player said the scare led him to the conclusion he "didn't want to push it anymore."

Aldridge joined the Nets in late March after reaching a buyout agreement with the San Antonio Spurs, where he'd spent most of the past six seasons.

The 35-year-old Texas native 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. However, the Lakers contest was "a long game of just not feeling like yourself," and he couldn't shake the thought, "your heart is beating weird":

"That's what's tough about my condition—it can be really, really bad, and then it can be normal again. I made it through the night, and by the time I got to the hospital, they ran EKGs and everything to see my heart rhythm and by then I had gotten back to my regular rhythm. That's what made me even more worried about my condition. I felt terrible all night and then all of a sudden I get to the doctor ... it's like taking your car, which is making a noise, to the dealership and then the noise isn't there anymore. I said: You know what, if I could feel that bad last night and then come here and they can't see traces of it, then that worries me even more because they can't see what the issue is."

Aldridge said there was too much uncertainty—"there's so many things that can happen in a bad way"—to keep playing basketball at a high level.

The 2006 second overall pick said it was "emotional" making calls to people informing them of his decision to retire, including his new Nets teammates.

"They all seen signs that something was off," he told Charania. "But they didn't know what it was. So after I explained to them why I was saying that, it made sense for them. It was them trying to understand what happened from me being on the floor to leaving and retired."

Aldridge, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, gave a special shoutout to former Blazers teammate Damian Lillard for advocating for his No. 12 jersey to be retired by the organization:

"First of all, Dame is a real one. Everyone already knew that. I knew it. But I want to go on the record and say he's a real one for how he advocated for that right away. He didn't have to do that, it doesn't do any value for him to fight for that. But it just shows how real he is and how he appreciates what I've done there in my time."

He added it would be an "honor" to have his jersey number retired by the Blazers, and Charania reported the franchise "will look into that this offseason."

Aldridge made 1,029 regular-season appearances and played in 72 postseason contests across 15 NBA seasons with the Blazers, Spurs and Nets.