Turiaf Heartened by His Progress

Whenever a reporter approaches with a digital voice recorder in hand, Ronny Turiaf knows that the question is about to be asked.

It could be the lightly phrased, “How are you feeling?” Or the more specific, “How’s the condition of your heart?” But it will mean the same to him -- a trip back to the most frightening time of his life.

Turiaf had open-heart surgery in July 2005, the thought of which left him in tears at a news conference in which he pledged before his surgery to make it back to the basketball court, but also acknowledged, “I’m scared of dying.”

Turiaf underwent the six-hour procedure to repair an enlarged aortic root and was expected to make a full recovery for normal activities, but his future as an NBA player was in doubt.

He is now a reserve forward for the Lakers, a bundle of braids and energy who tries not to linger too long on last year.

“It’s so much pain and so much bad thoughts in my head,” Turiaf said in his slight French accent. “It was a real, real tough time in my life, to go through what I’ve been through. It was tough to hang in there on a daily basis. The only time I think about it is when the media asks me about it. Outside of that, I really try to forget about it.”

Turiaf, who grew up on the Caribbean island of Martinique and left a small fishing town of 18,000 to attend a basketball academy in Paris, became the 37th pick in the 2005 draft. He quickly went from the ecstasy of signing a two-year contract with the Lakers to the reality of being a 22-year-old who needed repair work on his aorta, the body’s largest artery.

The diameter of Turiaf’s aorta was 5.6 centimeters, about 50% larger than normal, increasing the possibility of a rupture.

Veterans around the league typically view the exhibition season as a necessary evil, but Turiaf, whose contract doesn’t become guaranteed until Nov. 1, is scrapping as if it’s the playoffs. He had 15 points on six-for-eight shooting Thursday in the Lakers’ 104-101 exhibition victory over Seattle.

“Playing in those preseason games, a lot of those guys take it for granted, but this is my time to showcase my skills, to show my coach and general manager that I want to be here, that I’m going to do whatever it takes to be on the basketball court -- play defense, rebound, give energy, try to give assists, try and get some blocked shots and eventually score,” Turiaf said. “This is a blessing and I surely don’t take it for granted. I see where I came from last year.”

Turiaf is virtually assured of having his contract become guaranteed, but he must continue to pay attention to his condition. For at least one more season, he must wear a pad made of foam and plastic to protect his sternum. He also has a medical checkup every three months, a three-hour process in which he undergoes an electrocardiogram and other diagnostic tests.

“Everything you can imagine to make sure I can be on the basketball court,” he said.

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Kwame Brown might play in tonight’s exhibition against Phoenix, although the pain in his right shoulder could linger for a while. Brown said Saturday he felt a pinch in his sprained shoulder every time he lifted it above his head. “Nagging injuries are a problem,” assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. “It’s something he’s going to have to be attentive to throughout the season.” ... Kobe Bryant again practiced on a part-time basis Saturday after reporting no pain in his right knee following Friday’s light scrimmage.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com