LAST OCTOBER, SEVEN months after a heart transplant saved his life, 11-year NBA veteran Scot Pollard was back in the hospital. But this time, the visit was not for him.
Ozzy Pollard, the third of his four children, was a senior and played tight end for the high school team. Midway through the season, he'd injured his ACL and meniscus and needed an operation to repair both.
The Pollards were well prepared to manage the stress of surgery; Scot had spent the past three years fighting genetic heart disease.
During his playing days at the University of Kansas, and his time in the NBA, Scot became something of a cult favorite across the league, gaining the adoration of fans for his one-of-a-kind personality, carousel of flamboyant hairstyles and dogged competitiveness.