Turiaf's Player Tribune Article: Heart

JSM · Jul 27, 2015

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/ronny-turiaf-nba-open-heart-surgery-10-year-anniversary/

Good read on his perspective of the surgery, recovery, and a couple Lakers tid-bits

Chillbongo · Jul 28, 2015

I miss that dude. I know he was never a star role player but dude had such hustle and heart. Glad he was able to salvage some of a career and play for 7-8 years. He seems like a genuinely good dude.

lakerfan2 · Jul 29, 2015

Really wished Ronny was around to win those rings with us in 08-10, take the place of Morrison or something.

Bless his heart, he always had a smile on his face no matter the situation, and always gave 110% on and off the court.

thkthebest · Jul 29, 2015

Great, great read. It really makes me miss the old group of players.

Some cool Lakers tidbit:

“Gratitude” is also my word for the Lakers. Once I failed my physical, they had zero obligation to pay for my surgery. Zero. I had never even met Dr. Buss at that point. But they did, and they were added to the list of people I needed to honor by getting back on the court.

I don’t think many people know this, but after every home game I played with the Lakers, I would see Dr. Buss in the Chairman’s Lounge. Just to make sure I acknowledged him. We had that unspoken language. He knew why I was coming to see him, and looked at me like, “I got you, son. You’re part of the family.”
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For protection, I used to wear this plastic molded thing on my chest. Kwame Brown, who was so strong, hit me and actually broke it. Everybody freaked out. I looked at them and was like, “I’m fine.”
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But I still needed to play in a game. Every time I would try, Phil Jackson would yell, “Ronny, get off my court!” Not just because I was a rookie and rookies were, in his words, “lower than whale poop.” Phil had put me in glass because he was worried about me.

Finally, I got a chance.

February 8, 2006, in Houston against the Rockets. There was a minute or so left in the game. Phil Jackson looks at me and growls, “Ronny, do you want to play?” I’m like, “Hell yeah!”

Everything was going so much faster than practice, but I don’t give a damn because I’m playing in the NBA! The first person I hear is Lamar Odom. “Hey, you popped your cherry! YEAAAAAH!” Everybody’s jumping on me. I’ll cherish that day for the rest of my life.
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abeer3 · Jul 29, 2015

I loved that 2008 team. too bad they ran into the C Bags buzzsaw that year. and by buzzsaw, I mean leon powe.

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Turiaf's Player Tribune Article: Heart

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