San Antonio Spurs legend and broadcaster Sean Elliott is recovering well from what he called a “super easy” heart procedure as a result of dealing with atrial fibrillation. From joint Instagram accounts, Elliott's wife, Claudia Zapata-Elliott, posted a picture of Elliott with related information Sunday night.
The post indicated that an Apple Watch warned Elliott that he was in “AFib,” which occurs when the heart beats irregularly and chaotically. Untreated, the condition can lead to a stroke. The post also recognized the cardiology team that performed several diagnostic tests imaging before, as the post says, they “shocked his heart back into rhythm.” Elliott says he was in “good hands” during a procedure defined as Cardioversion.
Sean Elliott no stranger to health well-wishes
It's certainly not the first time the former Spurs forward has found himself in the public eye for medical reasons. Following the franchise's first-ever NBA championship in 1999, Elliott revealed he'd played that season while dealing with a severe kidney disease known as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. He'd require a transplant as soon as a matching donor became available.
Thanks to a kidney from his older brother, Noel, Elliott underwent surgery on August 16 of that summer. At the time, Elliott was one of the top players who'd ever suited up in San Antonio. He'd just hit the fabled “Memorial Day Miracle” on the way to the title and had made two All-Star games through nine seasons (ten total in the NBA) in the Alamo City.
A little more than a year and a half later, the former Arizona Wildcat became the first professional athlete to return to competition after the kidney transplant. Though he played in only 19 games in 1999–2000, the next season he started 34 of team's 52 games in helping the Spurs to the best record in the league.
Legacy beyond the court
Elliott is months away from entering his 24th year as the team's lead analyst on Spurs, Sports & Entertainment game broadcasts. While a fixture on the franchise's broadcasts, Elliott's work as a commentator started nationally for The NBA on NBC. During the 2003–2004 season, he joined ABC Sports and ESPN.
As he made his way back to San Antonio, Elliott's Number 32 was retired by the San Antonio Spurs and was hung in the rafters of the then AT&T Center on March 6, 2005. His No. 32 is also retired by the University of Arizona.
The 56-year-old Tucson native is easily among the most beloved players to ever wear the Silver and Black.
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