Philadelphia's own Cuttino 'cat' Mobley chose to retire from the NBA after 11 seasons secondary to a worsening heart condition.  Cat Mobley, now 33 yo, has known about his heart condition for years.  He's played exceptional ball for many years with few if any side effects from this common ailment.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a relatively common condition in elite athletes.  The heart is a muscle and can grow too thick (hypertrophy) due to many years of vigorous exercise.  As the heart walls thicken, the heart can literally outgrow its blood supply leaving the affected individual susceptible to a heart attack.  

A thickened heart wall may not properly conduct the electrical impulses that synchronize heart rhythm (beat).  An irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) can also be potentially dangerous or life-threatening.

Cuttino Mobley, with the help of his cardiologists, weighed the potential risks and benefits of continuing his NBA career and made the difficult but responsible decision to retire. 

I first met Cat Mobley when he was a scoring phenom at Cardinal Dougherty High School and I was a junior orthopedic surgery resident at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa.  I was the game physician at the fabulous Palestra on the U. Penn campus for the Catholic league championship.  Cat lit up Roman Catholic High in a losing effort. 

I remember how disappointed I was when I found out that Cat would take the 'winding path' to the NBA due to a less than stellar academic record.  I can remember his ever present Dad providing support and guidance to his polite, friendly and intelligent son.

Cuttino Mobley is now a grown man and when presented with the facts made a mature and insightful decision to walk away from the bright lights of the NBA.  His father must be proud of the young man that he raised. 

Lord knows I am.