LaMarcus Aldridge: It “Would Be Awesome” To Have Blazers No. 12 Jersey Retired

It’s been nearly two months since LaMarcus Aldridge last played in an NBA game, with health concerns after an irregular heartbeat prompting him to retire. Given his legacy and body of work, some wonder if the seven-time All-Star will be next in line to have his No. 12 jersey retired by the Portland Trail Blazers as well. On today’s episode of ESPN’s The Jump, Aldridge discussed the prospect of that with seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry.

“First of all, I think anyone getting their jersey retired is a huge honor, but, you know, it would be great for me. You know, that’s where it all started for me. That’s where I made my name and became an All-Star, and I actually became that go-to guy there. So, it would be awesome for me, you know, if it does happen, because you know that place is definitely, you know, one of my favorite memories for sure.”

Rachel Nichols also made note of how adamant Aldridge’s teammates — namely Damian Lillard — were when it came to Aldridge’s potential jersey retirement. Over his nine-season tenure in Portland, Aldridge averaged 19.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, and raised those numbers in the postseason to 22.1 points and 8.8 rebounds. He also owns top-five finishes among Blazers in: points, blocks, rebounds, games played, and field goals.