Scot Pollard heart transplant: Former Celtics champion's unique heart issue explored

Scot Pollard is a 6-foot-11 NBA standout who earned the love and admiration of fans thanks to his unique hairstyles during his 11-year NBA career. He now needs a new heart. A genetic issue landed the NBA vet in a position similar to his father 30 years beforehand. While the exact genetic problem with Pollard's heart is unknown, it has now landed him on the heart transplant list.

Scot Pollard's wife, Dawn, posted about the situation on social media. According to her, the 2008 NBA champ has undergone several procedures to no avail. Now, the 48-year-old needs a miracle in the form of a new heart.

Doctors need to find Pollard a new heart, but the organ donor has to be Pollard's size, which is a dilemma. Since contracting an unspecified virus in 2021 that exacerbated the genetic condition, Pollard has been inactive.

Dawb Pollard shared pictures of her husband on X, explaining in the caption how many procedures the NBA fan-favorite has been through.

“3 failed heart ablations, pacemaker/defibrillator, all the drugs and side effects, heart biopsies, heart catheter tests, CT/MRI scans, countless vials of blood taken, ER trips, myocarditis, pericarditis-all over the past 3 years…and now heart transplant list,” her caption on X read.

"It’s like winning the lottery" - Scot Pollard opens up on the struggles of trying to get a heart transplant

The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients online statistics showed between 2016 and 2018, 56.2% of people listed for heart transplants received one in year one. Meanwhile, 27.8% were still waiting after the first year.

Those numbers improve by year three: 66.7% of those listed undergo heart transplants, while 7.8% wait. While these numbers are optimistic, as previously mentioned, Scot Pollard needs a heart from another large man.

Speaking with the Indianapolis Star about the situation, Pollard recalled his doctor's words to him:

“It’s an odd situation to sit here and ponder for an undetermined amount of time. The surgeon here said it’s like winning the lottery. We might get lucky next week, next month, next year. It might be longer. It’s like Tom Petty says: The waiting is the hardest part.”

The New York Post indicated that Pollard was put on the heart transplant list at three hospitals in the area, including Vanderbilt. According to the NBA champ, Vanderbilt does more heart transplants than any hospital in the United States.

While there is no way of telling just how long it will be before Pollard gets the call he needs, the NBA community has thrown its support for the big man.