Jerry Tarkanian Hospitalized for Loss of Breath, Infection; Retired Coach 'Resting Comfortably'
ByJerry Tarkanian, retired Naismith Hall of Fame basketball coach, is at a Las Vegas hospital, apparently stable but his family is still concerned.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Tarkanian was "resting comfortably" as of Monday, a day after he was found unresponsive and not breathing. Doctors at Valley Hospital Medical Center reportedly determined his blood pressure was dangerously low and he had an infection, but more specific details were unavailable.
"It was very scary," Tarkanian's wife Lois told the Journal Monday night. "The doctors don't know what happened. But unfortunately that's how these things happen."
Also Monday night, Tarkanian's son Danny described his father's condition as being "minute-by-minute." When he was taken to the hospital's intensive care unit, the younger Tarkanian said the condition was "very, very bad."
The 84-year-old retired coach was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 for his time coaching in college basketball. He led UNLV to an NCAA Division I National Championship title in 1990 and three other Final Four appearances in 1977, 1987 and 1991.
He notably clashed with the NCAA's enforcement division, accusing them of stacking the deck against him in an investigation and harassing him afterward. The NCAA never admitted fault, but wound up paying him $2.5 million in a settlement.
He was also known for the charisma with which he approached basketball.
Tarkanian has had past heart health issues, the Journal reported, and he was hospitalized in April 2014 for what was his second heart attack at the time. Of late, he has experienced difficulty breathing and talking. His family said Tarkanian seemed healthy Sunday, as he was watching basketball.