Collected Wisdom of David Aldridge

TNT analyst David Aldridge is one of the foremost authorities on the NBA, a far cry from the career he thought he'd have as a history teacher. [PHOTO COURTESY OF TURNER SPORTS]TNT basketball analyst

Age: 52

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Basketball has always been part of David Aldridge's life.

He grew up in Washington, D.C. in the 1960s and 70s at the height of hoops. The Bullets were going to the NBA Finals. Lefty Driesell was coaching at Maryland, John Thompson at Georgetown. Even the high school scene was amazing.

Still, Aldridge never imagined he'd have a career in basketball. He was too small, too short, too slow. But the sport became his life, and after a decade covering almost every sport…