Anthony "Locksmith" Mason (Photo : www.cravetheauto.com)
Anthony Mason, former power forward of the New York Knicks is now fighting for his life after a heart attack.
Peter Vecsey, retired NBA writer, tweeted on Feb. 11, Wednesday, that the athlete has suffered congestive heart failure and went through four surgeries in a span of nine hours.
The 48-year-old players's son Antoine Mason and Anthony Mason Jr. are now with him at the hospital. Mary Mason, the mother, is to celebrate her 90th birthday tomorrow.
The retired NBA writer further revealed that the 6'7" New York Knicks player has been struggling with cardiac issues in the recent months. In fact, he was at the hospital to undergo some tests when he was struck by the deadly attack.
While the team would not address Mason's crisis directly, the team tweeted, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Anthony Mason and his family."
Popular for his aggressive style when in court, Mason was given the pet name "Locksmith" because of his famous saying, "Put me on anybody, and I'll lock them up," the New York Post reported.
The active power forward averaged 8.3 rebounds and 10.8 points each game over the entire course of his career. He has played 882 games in his 13-season NBA life.
A native of Miami, Mason went to school in New York. In 1988, he was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers from Tennessee State University as a third round pick.
Antoine and Anthony have followed their father's footsteps; Anthony was a player of St. John's University in 2005 to 2010, while Antoine is now at Auburn University taking the guard position.
