He has been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
One of the many thoughts crossing Cuttino Mobley's mind in recent days was of Hank Gathers' collapsing all those years ago on the basketball court at Loyola Marymount University, the gym not far from where the Clippers train.
That, Mobley told reporters in New York, was one of the reasons the 33-year-old decided to retire, as he made the formal announcement Thursday. Mobley was diagnosed with the same condition, the genetic heart disease hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, that contributed to Gathers' death in 1990.
That, Mobley told reporters in New York, was one of the reasons the 33-year-old decided to retire, as he made the formal announcement Thursday. Mobley was diagnosed with the same condition, the genetic heart disease hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, that contributed to Gathers' death in 1990.
It was not lost on the Clippers that their Nov. 21 trade of Mobley and Tim Thomas in exchange for Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins possibly saved Mobley's life.
"In a way, I'm glad we traded him so that they caught this and maybe saved his life," the Clippers' Chris Kaman said Thursday. "In another way, you want to be selfish a little bit and keep playing with him on your team. A good dude."
Steve Novak said Mobley was one of the first players on the team to call him to invite him to dinner when Novak came to the Clippers from Houston in the summer.
"It's gotta be very difficult for him and his family," Novak said. "He knows his health is way more important than playing basketball. I'm sure he's making the right decision, and he's had an unbelievable career."
Kaman knew the announcement was coming, as did Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy, both of whom had been in communication with Mobley. Mobley had been traveling around the country seeing four heart specialists, most recently one in Minneapolis last week. Tests after the trade revealed his heart condition had gotten worse.
Kaman knew the announcement was coming, as did Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy, both of whom had been in communication with Mobley. Mobley had been traveling around the country seeing four heart specialists, most recently one in Minneapolis last week. Tests after the trade revealed his heart condition had gotten worse.
"It's too vague, 'If you do this you can just drop dead,' " Dunleavy said. "Then I don't think there is a decision. It's not like he can't live a full life. He just can't play basketball, which is a major part of all of our lives."
Mobley also cited the responsibility to his family and not wanting them to live in fear of what could happen on the court. He has an 8-year-old son.
" . . . And then every single day just being scared for you, I think that's a selfish thing, also," he told reporters in New York. "Even though you love something so much, and I am in love with basketball, but sometimes you have to get a divorce."
His final game with the Clippers, on Nov. 19, ended up being a victory. Mobley had 23 points at Oklahoma City and a career-high seven steals. He averaged 16.0 points per game in 11 NBA seasons with Houston, Orlando, Sacramento and the Clippers.
"I don't understand how he played so many years and never had a problem. We let him play. . . . Orlando, Sacramento, Houston," Kaman said. "It doesn't make any sense. I don't know, it stinks. That's too bad, man."
By Lisa Dillman
LA Times
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