Anthony Mason suffers ‘massive heart attack’.

[Greenbacks]

NEW YORK -- Former 13-year NBA veteran forward Anthony Mason is "literally fighting for his life" due to a serious heart ailment, a source close to Mason confirmed to ESPN.com.
Mason suffered a heart attack several days ago and has since had multiple surgeries at a New York hospital, the source said.
"We're just hoping for the best at this point," the source added.
The New York Knicks, one of the six teams Mason played for, tweeted out a message of support for the 48-year-old on Wednesday evening.
Longtime New York-based NBA writer Peter Vecsey first reported details of Mason's condition.
Some of Mason's former teammates were bracing for the worst on Wednesday night, sources told ESPN.com
Ex-Knick Mark Jackson tweeted his support for Mason.
Mason played in the CBA and USBL in addition to his years in the NBA. The 6-foot-7 forward was perhaps best known for his five seasons with the Knicks.
Mason teamed with Charles Oakley, Patrick Ewing and John Starks to help lead the Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1994. He won the NBA's Sixth Man Award in 1994-95 while playing for Pat Riley. His rugged play epitomized the nature of Riley's Knicks teams.
Later in his career, Mason was reunited with Riley while playing for the Miami Heat. He was named to his one and only All-Star team in 2001 with the Heat and finished his career with the Milwaukee Bucks.

ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne and Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this story.

 

[Greenbacks]

Anthony Mason was far from being a great player...

What he brought to the table was physicality....He was a bruiser.....He was what 90`s playoff basketball was all about.

You drove to the basket in the 90`s against Anthony Mason and you were going to the foul line....LOL.


[h=1][/h]

 

[JudgeWapner]

As a Knicks fan, I loved him. Blue collar work ethic.

 

[Betallsports]

Always liked him.

back in the day me and a couple of friends of mine were at a Club and in come a few Knicks players. mason, Oakley and 2 unknowns.. mason was the only one that gave us the time of day.
Oakley was too busy to even say hello to us, even though Mason was trying to introduce us to him.

 

[BostonBettor]

He really was the epitome of physical hoops. I hope he recovers from this. Only 48 years old . . .

 

[Vlad the Impaler]

If he dies, steroids will be the cause to the media

 

[HacheMan]

I remember Anthony Mason & Charles Oakley forming that intimidating presence together and a game where Mason & Oakley bowed up to Shaq from both sides, kind of sandwiching Oneal, and Shaq took both hands/arms and shoved them both back simutaneously like rag dolls...

 

[Vlad the Impaler]

Speaking of....when will the next Shaq come around? All of these 7 footers now weigh about 220 and are pencil thin but agile and skilled and play from the wing. Hardly anyone wants to be in the post anymore. Everyone wants to be the 6'11" wing player.

 

[HacheMan]

Speaking of....when will the next Shaq come around? All of these 7 footers now weigh about 220 and are pencil thin but agile and skilled and play from the wing. Hardly anyone wants to be in the post anymore. Everyone wants to be the 6'11" wing player.

Not sure... I have a thread somewhere talking about how HOF Centers used to come along once every few years, and how that has diminished through the years.

Right now the closest there is, is Dwight Howard, and Anthony Davis.

Davis may get there, but I'm not willing to put either of these guys in other Super-Star Centers of the past...

 

[PatsFan1283]

Speaking of....when will the next Shaq come around? All of these 7 footers now weigh about 220 and are pencil thin but agile and skilled and play from the wing. Hardly anyone wants to be in the post anymore. Everyone wants to be the 6'11" wing player.

Good question....Mostly just very few human beings that large. If another Shaq came along he would dominate but he would likely get injured faster. The game is fast and explosive and 1 thing goes wrong with a body that big and it throws everything out of whack. Feet, knees, ankles just a lot of pressure on all of the joints. Yao a good example of this. When he played he was good on offense but he couldn't really move much defensively and would always get hurt. Obviously some of that has to do with being owned by his Gov't and having to play bball whenever they wanted too.

A lot of pick and roll in the game today that dictates the C to be mobile away from the basket, why you see less large, large bigs now. Hibbert is the only regular starter in the league over 7'1. Someone like Rik Smits or Marc Eaton just wouldn't have the footspeed to consistently cover all that ground. So you just see less huge people in general.

I laugh when people say we'll never see another so and so in sports, I plan on living a longtime but Shaq is possibly the one prototype that might not be replicated. Then again, he might be on a playground in Inglewood right now, who knows.

 

[CHOPTALK]

No he's arresting fake people in Lafayette ,La as a sheriffs deputy for an upcoming reality show.

 

[PatsFan1283]

Shaq was a platinum selling rap artist as well

Established artists can't even do that now so I'm guessing another athlete won't

 

[PatsFan1283]

Also memo to dominant young bigs out there. If you are currently living in a Communist country, try to escape or something because they will run your ass into the ground and shorten your career.

Ask Yao and Sabonis.....

 

[Enfuego]

Not sure... I have a thread somewhere talking about how HOF Centers used to come along once every few years, and how that has diminished through the years.

Right now the closest there is, is Dwight Howard, and Anthony Davis.

Davis may get there, but I'm not willing to put either of these guys in other Super-Star Centers of the past...

Duncan doesn't go in as a center?

 

[PatsFan1283]

Duncan doesn't go in as a center?

Well he entered the league like 75 years ago so I think that is why he didn't say him.

 

[RunMaker]

Hope he pulls through. Wish him the best.


Also would like to thank him. When we lived in New York he was my neighbor and he used to stop by and help my high school age son with his calculus AP classes homework.

Nah, just kidding.

Loved the way he played, though. Best wishes.

 

[ChrisParadise]

Hope he pulls through. Wish him the best.


Also would like to thank him. When we lived in New York he was my neighbor and he used to stop by and help my high school age son with his calculus AP classes homework.

Nah, just kidding.

Loved the way he played, though. Best wishes.

Lol

 

[2PLAYSMAX]

Yep, Mason would post em up and go to the hole. Took hard fouls and gave them.