Ring that bell! Scot Pollard released from hospital 13 days after heart transplant

Former Kansas and NBA basketball forward Scot Pollard has been discharged from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, just 13 days after undergoing successful heart replacement surgery.

“Got out of hospital today. Day 13 post transplant. Feels good to get some fresh air and be untethered,” the 49-year-old Pollard wrote on Facebook on Thursday night.

Pollard arrived at the hospital and was placed in ICU on Feb. 7 awaiting a donor.

Asked on social media site X what it’s like 13 days after surgery, Pollard wrote Thursday night: “Every single thing that could be different is different. When I woke from probably the most difficult surgery around, I immediately felt better. That told me two things: 1) the staff at @VUMCTransplant (Vandy hospital) is incredible and 2) I was thinking I was ok. I wasn’t.”

He slowly but surely made it out of bed after a few days and started walking the halls of the hospital. On Thursday he “rung the bell” at the Vanderbilt Transplant Center. He was cheered by hospital staff.

The ringing of a hospital bell according to Yahoo Sports “has come to mark milestones in treatments such as cancer patients completing their final round of chemotherapy. Pollard was in street clothes and smiling as he rung the bell.” He actually did a little dance before ringing the bell Thursday.

Prior to being admitted, Pollard had his name on heart transplant waiting lists for several weeks at Vandy Hospital, as well as at the University of Chicago Hospital and Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in his hometown of Carmel, Indiana.

“Scot has a new heart! Surgery went well and I’ve been told the heart is big, powerful and is a perfect fit!” Scot’s wife, Dawn Pollard, wrote after her husband’s surgery. “Now on to the crucial part of recovery. Thank you to everyone for the continued prayers and support, but most of all, deepest thanks to the donor, our hero.”

Earlier, Dawn wrote: “Scot wanted to let everyone know that the pre-heart transplant hair is gone, it’s go time! Please keep the prayers coming for Scot, the surgeons, for the donor and his family who lost their loved one. This donor gave the most amazing gift of life and we are forever grateful.”

The 6-foot-11 Pollard told The Star recently potential donors would likely have to be 6-foot-1 or taller.

Recently, Pollard told The Star: “Is it urgent? Yes. I need a new heart, but I’m not sick enough to be hospitalized, so it’s best to get listed at all these hospitals and hope a big, healthy heart that is my blood type (O-positive) gets past all of the people ahead of me on the list that may not be good recipients for that heart due to their factors.

According to the AP, “patients in need of an organ transplant have to navigate a labyrinthine system that attempts to fairly match the donated organs with the recipients in need. The matching process takes the health of the patient into account, all with the goal of maximizing the benefit of the limited organs available.”

Pollard, a native of Murray, Utah, played at KU from 1993 to ‘97. He played 11 seasons in the NBA (1997 to 2008) for Boston, Sacramento, Cleveland, Detroit and Indiana. He won an NBA title with Boston in 2008.

Pollard’s wife revealed on social media on Jan. 10 that Scot was on various waiting lists for a heart transplant. His genetic heart condition apparently was triggered by a virus he contacted in 2021, one that worsened. He would find himself ending phone conversations because of a lack of breath.

Pollard’s father also suffered from the same genetic condition and ended up passing away at 54 years old. Some of Pollard’s siblings also have the genetic condition.

Pollard’s wife Dawn explained on social media what Scot has gone through since 2021.

“Three failed heart ablations, pacemaker/defibrillator, all the drugs and side effects, heart biopsies, heart catheter tests, CT/MRI scans, countless viles of blood taken, ER trips, myocarditis, pericarditis-all over the past three years…and now heart transplant list,” she explained in response to some misguided person who on social media accused Pollard of “faking it.”

Pollard was one of KU’s most popular players throughout history. He was a spectacular rebounder for Jayhawk teams from 1993-94 to 1996-97. He played in the NBA 11 years (for five teams including Boston, where he won an NBA title in 2008) and also in 2016 was a contestant on the show, “Survivor.”

Recently he told The Star: “A lot of people have reached out on social media from Jayhawk nation and it’s very kind and humbling to hear from so many.”