LaMarcus Aldridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022
Personal information
Born	(1985-07-19) July 19, 1985 (age 40) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
High school	Seagoville (Dallas, Texas)
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
College	Texas (2004–2006)
NBA Draft	2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Pro career	2006–2022
Career history
2006–2015	Portland Trail Blazers
2015–2021	San Antonio Spurs
2021–2022	Brooklyn Nets
Career highlights and awards
7× NBA All-Star (2012–2016, 2018, 2019) 2× All-NBA Second Team (2015, 2018) 3× All-NBA Third Team (2011, 2014, 2016) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2007) Third-team All-American – NABC (2006) First-team All-Big 12 (2006) Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2006) Big 12 All-Defensive Team (2006) Second-team Parade All-American (2004) McDonald's All-American (2004)
Career statistics
Points	20,558 (19.1 ppg)
Rebounds	8,736 (8.1 rpg)
Assists	2,076 (1.9 apg)

LaMarcus Nurae Aldridge (born July 19, 1985) is a former American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for two seasons with the Texas Longhorns. Aldridge was chosen second overall in the 2006 NBA draft.

He played nine seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. Then, he joined the San Antonio Spurs in 2015. In March 2021, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets. He retired briefly due to an irregular heartbeat. However, he returned to the Nets the next season after doctors said he was healthy enough to play.

Aldridge was well-known for his special fadeaway jump shot. He was picked for five All-NBA teams and was a seven-time NBA All-Star.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

LaMarcus Aldridge's parents divorced when he was in fifth grade. His mother, who worked for an insurance company, raised him. He grew up playing basketball at parks in Dallas. People often thought he was "the tall kid who couldn't play."

When he was in eighth grade, Aldridge was already 6 feet 7 inches tall. Robert Allen, the head basketball coach at Seagoville High School, noticed his height. He recruited Aldridge to play for his team.

High School Success

Aldridge went to Seagoville High School. There, he became a second-team Parade All-American. He was also named the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) Class 4A Player of the Year.

Experts like Rivals.com thought Aldridge was a top player. In 2004, they ranked him as the number 4 best center. He was also the number 16 player overall in the nation.

College Career at Texas

Aldridge attended the University of Texas at Austin. He thought about joining the NBA draft in 2004. However, he decided to stay in college. Some reports say Shaquille O'Neal advised him to go to college first.

In April 2006, after his second year with the Longhorns, Aldridge decided to enter the 2006 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Journey

Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (2006–2015)

Starting in the NBA: 2006–07 Season

The Chicago Bulls picked Aldridge second overall in the 2006 NBA draft. But soon after, they traded his rights to the Portland Trail Blazers. In return, the Bulls got Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa.

Aldridge missed his first seven games because of shoulder surgery. However, he came back early because his teammate Brandon Roy was injured. Aldridge quickly made an impact, scoring 8.4 points per game in his first 14 games.

In February 2007, the starting center Joel Przybilla got a season-ending knee injury. Aldridge then became the starting center. He improved his scoring to 14.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in March. On March 31, 2007, Aldridge had to go to the hospital during a game. He had shortness of breath and an irregular heartbeat. Doctors diagnosed him with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome on April 9. He missed the last eight games of his first season. Aldridge started 22 games as a rookie.

He was one of six players chosen for the 2007 NBA All-Rookie Team first team.

Growing as a Player: 2007–08 Season

Aldridge played even better in his second season. He achieved new career highs in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. He finished third in the voting for the NBA Most Improved Player Award. During this season, Aldridge had some foot problems due to plantar fasciitis. He missed a few games in December 2007. Even with the foot trouble, he played very well.

Steady Improvement: 2008–09 Season

Aldridge started the season playing a bit unevenly. He was getting used to more defensive pressure from opponents. He called his first 15 games "the worst funk" of his life. But he got better as the season went on.

He improved his offensive skills, still using his mid-range fadeaway shot a lot. He ended the season averaging 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds. Aldridge scored over 20 points in half of the last 28 games. He played almost a full season, missing only one game.

New Contract and More Responsibility: 2009–10 Season

In October, Aldridge signed a five-year contract extension with Portland for $65 million. This happened after the Trail Blazers also signed All-Star Brandon Roy to a big deal.

Aldridge's stats were similar to the previous season. In early December, Greg Oden suffered a season-ending injury. This meant Aldridge got more playing time and more chances to score.

Becoming a Leader: 2010–11 Season

Aldridge became an even bigger player and leader when Brandon Roy had knee problems in December 2010. Even though fans wanted him to be an All-Star, Aldridge was not chosen for the Western Conference team. LeBron James called this "the biggest snub in All-Star history."

However, Aldridge was named NBA Player of the Week twice. He scored a career-high 42 points against the Chicago Bulls on February 7, 2011. On March 2, he became one of only three Blazers to win the NBA Player of the Month award. Aldridge was second for the NBA Most Improved Player Award and was voted to the All-NBA Third Team.

Lockout Season and New Role: 2011–12 Season

The 2011–12 season started late because of a lockout. Fans hoped Aldridge, Roy, and Oden would finally play a full season together. But Roy retired due to knee problems, and Oden continued to struggle with injuries. Aldridge became the main star for the Blazers. He was named a reserve for the Western Conference All-Star team in 2012.

Second All-Star Selection: 2012–13 Season

On November 12, 2012, Aldridge had a career-high eight assists in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. In 2013, he was named an All-Star for the second time. He averaged 21.1 points, a career-high 9.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. The Trail Blazers finished with a 33–49 record and missed the playoffs.

A Standout Year: 2013–14 Season

Despite rumors, Aldridge wanted to stay in Portland. He started his eighth NBA season strongly, getting five straight double-doubles in November. On November 23, 2013, he was involved in a small argument during a game. He was later given a penalty of $45,000.

On the same day, Aldridge was named Western Conference Player of the Week. This happened during an 11-game winning streak for the Blazers. He averaged 21.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game. On December 12, 2013, Aldridge scored 31 points and grabbed a career-high 25 rebounds. He was the first player in Trail Blazers history to have at least 30 points and 25 rebounds in one game. On January 23, 2014, he scored a career-high 44 points. He also had 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks.

The Trail Blazers had a great first half of the 2014 season, with a 31–10 record. Aldridge and teammate Damian Lillard were both chosen as reserves for the 2014 NBA All-Star Game. This was Aldridge's third straight All-Star appearance.

Aldridge got a lower back injury on March 12, 2014. He missed seven games but returned to help the Blazers reach the playoffs. On April 20, 2014, Aldridge set a new career playoff high with 46 points and 18 rebounds in Game 1 against the Houston Rockets. He scored 43 points in Game 2. He joined famous players like Michael Jordan in scoring many points in the first two playoff games. Over the six-game series, Aldridge averaged 29.8 points and over 2.5 blocks per game. In the next series against the Spurs, Aldridge struggled, and the Blazers lost. Overall, Aldridge had a fantastic season in 2014.

Final Season in Portland: 2014–15 Season

Aldridge signs an autograph after a game in Boston in 2014

On December 9, 2014, Aldridge passed Terry Porter to become second on the Blazers' all-time scoring list. He had 11,333 career points. In the first half of the season, he averaged 23.2 points and 10.2 rebounds. On January 23, 2015, he tore a ligament in his left thumb. He decided not to have surgery and only missed two games. He returned on January 24, scoring 26 points.

Aldridge was chosen as an All-Star reserve for his fourth straight appearance. He was later named a starter for the Western Conference All-Star team. On March 20, 2015, Aldridge became the Trail Blazers' all-time leader in rebounds. However, the Blazers faced a challenge when teammate Wesley Matthews got a serious injury in March. The Blazers struggled after that. In the playoffs, the Blazers lost to the Memphis Grizzlies. Aldridge averaged a career-best 23.4 points per game and was voted onto the All-NBA Second Team.

Joining the San Antonio Spurs (2015–2021)

New Team, New Start: 2015–16 Season

On July 9, 2015, Aldridge signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs. He was given the number 12 jersey, which had been retired for Bruce Bowen. Bowen gave his permission for Aldridge to wear it.

Aldridge played his first game for the Spurs on October 28. He scored 11 points and had 5 rebounds. On November 11, he returned to Portland to play against his old team. He scored 23 points in a win. On February 1, 2016, he scored a season-high 28 points. Two days later, he scored 36 points against the New Orleans Pelicans. On February 8, he was named Western Conference Player of the Week.

Aldridge dislocated his right pinkie finger on April 7. This bothered him through the rest of the season and into the playoffs. The Spurs, as the second seed, played the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. Aldridge scored 17 points in Game 1. The Spurs swept the Grizzlies. In the next round, they faced the Oklahoma City Thunder. Aldridge scored 38 points in Game 1 and 41 points in Game 2.

Heart Concerns and Playoff Run: 2016–17 Season

In the Spurs' first game of the 2016–17 season, Aldridge had 26 points and 14 rebounds. On December 25, he scored a season-high 33 points against the Chicago Bulls. He made his first nine shots, scoring 20 points in the first quarter.

Aldridge with San Antonio in February 2017

On March 11, 2017, Aldridge was sidelined because of a minor heart arrhythmia. He was cleared to play again on March 15. In his first game back, he scored 19 points. This meant Aldridge had scored 1,000 points for the 10th season in a row. Only LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had such a streak at that time.

On May 11, 2017, the Spurs beat the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of their playoff series. Aldridge scored a season-high 34 points. He had never made it past the second round of the playoffs before. He was also the first Spur since Tim Duncan in 2008 to have 34 points and 12 rebounds in a playoff game. The Spurs then lost to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.

Another All-Star Season: 2017–18 Season

On October 16, 2017, Aldridge signed a new three-year contract extension with the Spurs. Two days later, he had 25 points and 10 rebounds in the Spurs' season opener. On November 14, he scored a season-high 32 points. On November 27, he set a new season high with 33 points. Two days later, he scored 41 points, his highest as a Spur.

On January 23, 2018, he was named a Western Conference All-Star reserve. He was the first Spurs player not to start his career in San Antonio to become an All-Star since Artis Gilmore in 1986. Three days later, Aldridge got his 7,000th career rebound. On March 17, 2018, he scored 39 points. On March 21, he became the 27th player in NBA history with over 900 blocks and 16,000 points. Two days later, he scored a career-high 45 points in an overtime win against the Utah Jazz. In Game 2 of the Spurs' first-round playoff series, Aldridge scored 34 points. The Spurs lost the series in five games.

Career Highs and Milestones: 2018–19 Season

In the Spurs' season opener on October 17, Aldridge had 21 points and 19 rebounds. On October 22, he scored 37 points and had 10 rebounds in an overtime win. On December 29, he scored 38 points. On January 10, 2019, he scored a career-high 56 points in a double-overtime victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

On January 31, 2019, he was named a Western Conference All-Star reserve again. On February 2, he had 25 points and 14 rebounds, reaching 18,000 career points. On March 24, he scored 48 points and had 13 rebounds.

Injuries and Departure: 2019–20 and 2020–21 Seasons

In a game against the Golden State Warriors, Aldridge got his 8,000th career rebound. On November 7, 2019, he scored a season-high 39 points. On June 8, 2020, the San Antonio Spurs announced that Aldridge had shoulder surgery on April 24. He missed the rest of the 2019–20 NBA season.

In the 2020–21 San Antonio Spurs season, Aldridge missed eight of San Antonio's last 11 games before the All-Star break due to hip and quadriceps injuries. He was a reserve in the three games he played, which was the first time he came off the bench since his rookie year. After the All-Star break, Aldridge and the Spurs agreed that he would leave the team. He was averaging 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. On March 25, 2021, Aldridge and the Spurs ended his contract.

Short Time with the Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022)

On March 28, 2021, Aldridge signed with the Brooklyn Nets. On April 1, he played his first game for the Nets. He had 11 points, nine rebounds, and a season-high six assists. On April 15, Aldridge announced he was retiring because of health concerns from an irregular heartbeat.

However, on September 3, 2021, Aldridge re-signed with the Nets. He had received medical clearance to play basketball again. On October 22, Aldridge scored a season-high 23 points. On October 29, he scored 21 points, reaching 20,000 career points.

On March 31, 2023, Aldridge announced his retirement for a second time.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular Season

Playoffs

College

Awards and Honors

NBA

• NBA All-Star: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
• All-NBA Second Team: 2015, 2018
• All-NBA Third Team: 2011, 2014, 2016
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2007
• Western Conference Player of the Week:
  • January 17–23, 2011
  • February 7–13, 2011
  • March 11–17, 2013
  • November 18–24, 2013
  • December 2–8, 2013
  • December 9–15, 2013
  • December 1–7, 2014
  • December 15–21, 2014
  • February 1–7, 2016
  • March 19–25, 2018
• Western Conference Player of the Month:
  • February 2011

College

• NABC All-American Third Team (2006)
• Big-12 Defensive Player of the Year (2006)
• First-team All-Big 12 (2006)
• Big-12 All-Defensive Team (2006)
• Big-12 All-Tournament Team (2006)

Personal Life

LaMarcus Aldridge has two sons. His first son was born in 2009, and his second son was born in 2011.

His older brother, LaVontae, played basketball at Howard College. His career ended due to a knee injury. LaVontae passed away in 2022 at age 42. Aldridge's cousin, Marlon Hairston, plays soccer as a midfielder for Columbus Crew SC.

In 2007, Aldridge was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a heart condition. He missed the rest of the 2006–07 season to get treatment. Before the 2011–12 season, Aldridge had another surgery to help with his heart condition.

Aldridge appeared in two episodes of the TV show Portlandia.

See also

In Spanish: LaMarcus Aldridge para niños

• List of NBA career scoring leaders