The NBA has seen many cases of players that couldn’t fulfill their dreams of becoming stars in the association. Sometimes, lottery draft picks went through unfortunate situations that ruined their plans to shine in the league, and had to find something else to do with their lives.
Sometimes, other players came back when nobody thought they could and proved everybody wrong, starring in incredible stories. Over the years, we’ve learned about some of these cases, but there is one that really deserves to be remembered.
Back in 2005, the Los Angeles Lakers selected a young French player with the 37th overall pick, almost fulfilling his dream of becoming an NBA player. Ronny Turiaf was ready to prove his value in the league, but the team’s doctors found a problem with his heart that could have left him out of the court forever.
Instagram page Basketball Mecca recently shared the story of how Turiaf recovered from a serious condition while trying to play basketball with the Los Angeles Lakers. He developed a good relationship with everybody within the organization, including Kobe Bryant, and came back when nobody thought he would.
Imagine being drafted by the Lakers, seeing your dreams come true… Only to be told by team doctors that you need immediate open heart surgery for an over inflated aortic root.
One of Turiaf’s attending physicians/cardiologist said there was a 75% chance he would have had a fatal episode within a three year period.
“The usual way it might present itself is with a person bleeding, collapsing to the floor and dying”.
Turiaf was told “Basketball should be the least of your worries” and that he might never play again.
… But Ronny had other plans.
“I will not let my family down. I’m gonna get through it. I’ll be back on this court. They’re gonna have to kill me”
The newly drafted center had no money, no insurance and a 2 year deal that was being potentially canceled by the Lakers, who had no more obligations towards him, considering the failed physical exam.
The organization did the right thing, by paying for the procedure and opting to keep the offer on the table.
Turiaf was eternally grateful to Kobe (who acted as a big brother to him) as well as Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak, who cared for him despite believing he would never play basketball again.
“I told Mitch Kupchak to bring a jersey to the hospital. He came to see me, and I had tubes in my neck — tubes everywhere. But I told him, ‘I’m gonna rock that No. 21. I guarantee you.’ He didn’t believe me. I know he didn’t.”
Seven months later, he was back on the court, “playing harder than anybody on the team”, according to our initial Venice Beach Surfer who referred to the kid as a GOD…
This is an incredible story of overcoming obstacles, even if they are huge. There have been times when injuries are too much for players, as happened to Greg Oden. Sometimes, players’ bodies let them down and are unable to play as expected, which is a shame for everybody. Fortunately for Ronny, he could recover and play for the Lakers for two seasons before joining more teams across the league. He would become an NBA champion in 2012 when the Miami Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals.
He had to come a long way, but he made it, learning a couple of lessons in the process. Not everybody can say they are NBA champions, especially the way the Frenchman did it.
