Smith doesn’t want to see any other former players go through the same thing.
It was reported today that Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge suffered a mild heart attack on Tuesday while the team was in Milwaukee. Fortunately, Ainge is expected to make a full recovery and received immediate medical care following the incident. Since the news was reported, people around the NBA have been sending their prayers to Ainge, including Kenny Smith who is a retired player who now works on Inside the NBA.
Smith was asked by TMZ about Ainge’s heart attack which led him to discuss how retired players typically neglect their bodies once their playing days are over. As he explains, Ainge’s health problems could serve as a wake-up call to those who haven’t been taking care themselves like they used to.
“It’s important for guys who are retired to keep a type awareness their body, and the health their body, the way they do when they’re playing. A lot us don’t,” Smith said. “So hopefully this could be messages to a lot former players that are still out there now not playing anymore.”
Smith and Ainge were teammates on the Sacramento Kings between 1988 and 1990 and are good friends so the news has clearly affected Smith personally.