Jrue Holiday to miss start of season due to wife's brain cancer surgery

[Roy H.]

Pelicans starting point guard Jrue Holiday will miss the start of the NBA season to be with his pregnant wife, who will undergo surgery later this fall to remove a brain tumor, the Times-Picayune reported Sunday.

Lauren Holiday, a two-time gold medalist and 2015 World Cup winner with the U.S. women's national soccer team, is pregnant with the couple's first child. She retired last year. Lauren is scheduled to have the procedure six weeks after giving birth. The couple's daughter is due in mid-October.


The recently discovered tumor, which doctors believe will not affect the child, is benign and Lauren is expected to make a full recovery. The procedure will be conducted at Duke University Hospital, which will force the new family to relocate to Raleigh, N.C., as Lauren recuperates. Although he could miss a significant portion of the NBA season, Jrue's primary concern is his wife's health.

"Devastating," Jrue said of the diagnosis. "My family comes before basketball. I'm obviously blessed to play this game and be in the position I am in, but my wife is the most important thing in the world to me. She comes before anything else."

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry has no problem with Jrue's indefinite absence and proclaimed his support for the Holiday family. The team even plans to send a trainer to North Carolina to help keep Jrue in shape.

"The most important thing for Jrue to do right now is be with his wife and family," Gentry said in a statement. "Every one of our coaches and players understands what Lauren and Jrue are going through, and they know we're behind them 100 percent. We'll continue to do everything we can to support them and help them get through these hard times."

Lauren announced her retirement from competitive soccer in the prime of her career at the age of 27 following Team USA's victory in the 2015 Women's World Cup, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family. After complaining of headaches two months ago, doctors diagnosed the tumor. Nonetheless, Lauren has remained positive and hopeful.

"Lauren has her good days and her bad days; some are better than others," Jrue said. "She's obviously a fighter, the toughest woman I know. That's the reason why I married her.

"We just ask for your prayers, really pray for my family. We can take all the prayers that we can get."

That's an extremely tough situation. I think this in an obvious choice. Does anybody feel differently, I.e., that there's a duty to the team?

Thoughts and prayers to the Holiday family. I can't imagine the stress they're under.

[PhoSita]

There is no question he is making the right choice.  It's not like he's missing a playoff series or something, in any case. He's missing the start of the season. Perhaps this means Jrue will be able to avoid injuries later on in the season, since he's been on a minutes restriction for a while anyhow.

[Roy H.]

There is no question he is making the right choice.  It's not like he's missing a playoff series or something, in any case. He's missing the start of the season. Perhaps this means Jrue will be able to avoid injuries later on in the season, since he's been on a minutes restriction for a while anyhow.

The minutes restriction was lifted last January 1. Otherwise, I agree. I think this is the right decision even in the playoffs, assuming surgery couldn't be safely delayed.

[Eja117]

I agree it's an obvious decision. If I'm him I need to hear a doctor say "She is stable and perfectly fine and in no danger" and I need to hear her say "I feel ok."  And that's it.  And it would probably have to be a home game assuming she's in the hospital locally

[SCeltic34]

It says in the article there that the tumor is benign, so she doesn't have brain cancer.  That's good news.  That said, benign tumors can cause increased intracranial pressure and in turn cause headaches, seizures, and cognitive dysfunction, so obviously it can't be taken lightly.

That said, I don't see how anyone could question his choice.  For those of you who have seen the Breaking Bad series, recall this scene...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5l8spk68CA

...and the words at the end.  Professional basketball (or any professional obligation for that matter) means nothing relative to family.  Even if it's game 7 of the NBA finals.

One of my cousins had a sudden onset of a major headache one day - he had been having numerous headaches up until that point over a few years but ignored them - and went to the hospital where he was found to have a malignant brain tumor.  He died a few days later at age 36.

Can't mess around with major health issues.

[Surferdad]

Personal choices, family priorities and deeply held beliefs should never be compromised by some stupid game. Sandy Koufax missed his World Series start to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

Good for Jrue, this is the right thing to do.

[hwangjini_1]

There is no question he is making the right choice.  It's not like he's missing a playoff series or something, in any case. He's missing the start of the season. Perhaps this means Jrue will be able to avoid injuries later on in the season, since he's been on a minutes restriction for a while anyhow.

Here we seem to disagree. What difference does it make whether it is playoffs, preseason, or regular season? Never, ever should work be before family.

[GetLucky]

100% the right decision. In addition to making sure his wife is okay during and after her recovery, Jrue will also have to take care of a newborn child. That in itself is a full time job, let alone with a recovering wife/mother.

[tarheelsxxiii]

It says in the article there that the tumor is benign, so she doesn't have brain cancer.  That's good news.  That said, benign tumors can cause increased intracranial pressure and in turn cause headaches, seizures, and cognitive dysfunction, so obviously it can't be taken lightly.

Good point, and beyond issues that can be caused by "benign" tumors, when surgery is necessary, other areas of cortex need to be cut through -- not good. Chemo usually follows and can be equally rough. Glad Jrue made the decision he did, though, and that the organization seems to support him. Bring him to the Cs, man... I'm sold now.

[ederson]

It`s an easy call. You stay by your family.

But reading the other posts here although we are 100% on the same page i started thinking "or maybe it isn`t an easy call"

His wife needs the best medical care she can get and in this case she ll get the best. But doesn`t that come from "the stupid game"?  Jrue has the option to provide the best care and stay by her side  the whole time. I don`t think the average person can do that. What is more important ? Being there supporting here in anyway you can or go find the means to get the best care you can ?

I honestly don`t know. I think i`d stay there by the bed but i am not sure it`s the correct decision.