The entire basketball world was taken aback by LaMarcus Aldridge's recent retirement announcement. There has been an outpouring of support from within and around the NBA following this shocking development, and for his part, Aldridge has now responded to all the well-wishes.

The 35-year-old took to Twitter to send his appreciation for all the support he has been getting over the past few of hours:

Aldridge's sudden decision to call time on his career stems from a heart problem that he apparently has been dealing with for several years now. According to reports, the 6-foot-11 big man played through an irregular heartbeat during the Brooklyn Nets' loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on April 10. The condition reportedly progressed and Aldridge had to be taken to a hospital. LMA was forced to sit out several games back in 2017 because of the same issue.

The good news here is that Aldridge appears to be alright. He will need to get this concerning issue sorted out, though, and as it appears, this cannot be done with him still playing in the NBA.

It's been a marvelous 15-year career for LaMarcus Aldridge, and it's hard to deny that his retirement comes at an inopportune time for him. The veteran joined the Nets not too long ago in the hopes of winning his first-ever championship ring. Unfortunately, this dream will no longer be achievable for Aldridge as he will now need to focus on his recovery from this heart condition.

Good luck and Godspeed, LMA.