Thursday, July 21, 2005
TURIAF TO UNDERGO OPEN HEART SURGERY
According to ESPN.com's Andy Katz, former Gonzaga forward Ronny Turiaf has an enlarged heart and will need open heart surgery. This sudden news may spell the end of Turiaf's NBA career before it started.
Turiaf, the 2005 West Coast Conference Player of the Year, was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 37th pick of the 2005 NBA Draft last month. He had played for the Lakers' summer league team and had averaged 14 points and 4.7 rebounds a game before being held out of the final four games of the summer league.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few, who spoke with Turiaf on Thursday night, said Turiaf was in the best condition he had seen him in when he visited Turiaf at the Chicago predraft camp in June.
"We're in a state of shock," Few said. "We're going to be by Ronny's side during this entire ordeal. Our staff, our players and the entire community of Spokane are behind him. He's meant so much to all of us. We're going to see him through this and get him back healthy. There will be a lot of thoughts and prayers coming out of Spokane."
Our thoughts and prayers are also with Ronny for a speedy recovery. Basketball is not nearly as important of a game as the game of life is.
Turiaf, the 2005 West Coast Conference Player of the Year, was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 37th pick of the 2005 NBA Draft last month. He had played for the Lakers' summer league team and had averaged 14 points and 4.7 rebounds a game before being held out of the final four games of the summer league.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few, who spoke with Turiaf on Thursday night, said Turiaf was in the best condition he had seen him in when he visited Turiaf at the Chicago predraft camp in June.
"We're in a state of shock," Few said. "We're going to be by Ronny's side during this entire ordeal. Our staff, our players and the entire community of Spokane are behind him. He's meant so much to all of us. We're going to see him through this and get him back healthy. There will be a lot of thoughts and prayers coming out of Spokane."
Our thoughts and prayers are also with Ronny for a speedy recovery. Basketball is not nearly as important of a game as the game of life is.
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