Ronny Turiaf was closer to his dream of playing in the NBA when the Los Angeles Lakers drafted him 37th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft.
Turiaf was born and raised in the Caribbean island of Martinique before moving to Paris at the age of 15 to take up basketball seriously. He ended up playing college ball at Gonzaga, where he was a three-time All-WCC first team selection and the 2005 WCC Player of the Year. The Lakers loved his rebounding, energy, and defensive intensity and picked him in the draft. However, his NBA career almost ended before it even began.
A routine physical test done by the Lakers after the draft revealed that Turiaf had an 'enlarged aortic root. The aortic root is the base of the aorta and is located at the center of the chest, connecting the heart to the systemic circulation. Ronny's aorta had a diameter of 5.6 centimeters, which is more than 50 percent larger than its normal size. Because of that, there's a high risk of rupture.
Actually, Turiaf's pre-draft physical examination already revealed an abnormality in his heart, but doctors deemed it was not a serious condition, and he was cleared for selection. However, the Lakers' medical team revisited the findings and discovered a more serious issue, which third-party experts confirmed.
"We don't want to speculate on that, but obviously we're hopeful that if things go well, he will be able to play again," Lakers spokesman John Black said . "Had he not had this corrected, my understanding from our doctors is very likely this would have been a fatal condition."
The condition was deemed so dangerous that one of Ronny's attending physicians revealed that Turiaf had a 75 percent chance of suffering a fatal episode within a 3-4 year period if the condition was left untreated. Hence, the then 22-year-old was immediately scheduled for surgery. But while that physical examination might have saved the big man's life, getting surgery was another story.
Ronny signed a two-year, $1 million deal with the Lakers, but not only was his medical procedure expected to cost that much, but his contract was voided after he failed the physical exam. Out of nowhere, the late Lakers owner, Dr. Jerry Buss, came forward to cover Turiaf's medical expenses , despite his team owing the player absolutely nothing.
"Once I failed my physical, they had zero obligation to pay for my surgery. Zero," said Turiaf. "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."
With Dr. Buss' financial support and a lot of prayers, the procedure was successful, and 197 days after surgery, Turiaf miraculously made his Lakers debut on February 8, 2006. Ronny ended up playing only 173 games for the Lakers, but he will never forget his short stint there.
"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," added Turiaf.
Turiaf ended up playing 10 seasons in the NBA and even won a championship as a member of the 2012 Miami Heat . However, he knows very well life could not have turned out this way if he had not ended up with the Lakers in the 2005 NBA Draft.
Related: "He has that 'It' factor" - How Ronny Turiaf praised a rookie Stephen Curry
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
