Friends, family shocked over news of Ainge's heart attack

Danny Ainge, considered by many to be the greatest athlete ever to play at Brigham Young University, woke up Thursday with chest pains. Ainge, the current general manager of the Boston Celtics, remains hospitalized today after undergoing a procedure to unclog an artery.

News that Ainge, age 50, had suffered a mild heart attack came as a shock to those who've known him since his college days at BYU and 14 seasons as a player in the NBA.

"It just shows how fragile life can be," said Gifford Nielsen, who hosted Ainge just over a week ago in Houston and is also a member of BYU's Athletic Hall of Fame. Both have had their college numbers retired.

"Just 10 days ago, Danny and I were sitting in Minute-Maid Park watching the Astros open the season against the Cubs. He was in a great mood and enjoying a break. He'd come down to play in my golf tournament after the Shell Houston Open," said Nielsen, who retired the week before at age 54.

"Danny hit the ball as well as he ever has," said Provo's Bob Oldroyd, a member of Riverside Country Club, who flew to Houston to play in the tournament. "He just had a birthday a couple of weeks ago."

Oldroyd, a member of Ainge's inner circle back in college, said he'd talked to Austin Ainge, Danny's oldest son, who said his father was fine and joked at the hospital, "The KG (Kevin Garnett) injury is what did it."

The Celtics are scheduled to begin the NBA playoffs on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Earlier Thursday, the Celtics said Garnett was unlikely to return from a knee injury to play in the postseason — a potentially devastating blow to their hopes of a repeat championship.

Ainge missed Wednesday night's regular-season finale because he wasn't feeling well. He woke up in the morning with chest pains.

Oldroyd and Ainge each dated and married coeds who were roommates at BYU and have been best friends for more than 30 years.

"He's going to be fine, they just have to find what caused that blockage," said Oldroyd. "It was good he took some days off to golf. He never takes time off and I had to twist his arm to get him to recreate."

Ainge underwent a procedure to place a stent in an artery described by ESPN as 100 percent blocked. He is expected to be released over the weekend.

"This is unsettling," said Nielsen. "He is such a great man and such a gifted athlete whose career and athletic feats we've all been amazed at over the years. He's a great friend and has done so much for so many people. To hear that he had this, well, of course we wish him the best. I understand it isn't that serious, but still, it shows it can happen to anyone."