Nicolas Batum, 37, Announces Retirement From Professional Basketball

French forward Nicolas Batum, 37, announced his final retirement from professional basketball on Monday evening, concluding a 21-year career. Batum shared a video on social media stating, "After 21 years, it's time to go home. I'm not afraid of not being a basketball player anymore because I feel like I've experienced everything I needed to, and I've done it all."

Born in Lisieux, France, on December 14, 1988, Batum began his career with Le Mans. He was drafted 25th overall by the Houston Rockets in 2008 and immediately traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he played for seven seasons. With the exception of a stint with Nancy in France during the 2011 NBA lockout, Batum spent 18 years in the NBA, also playing for the Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Clippers, with whom he played his final game.

Throughout his NBA career, Batum amassed 11,553 points (averaging 9.6 per game), 5,656 rebounds, and 3,612 assists. Notably, in June 2022, he revealed he grew up as a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan and expressed a desire to finish his career with the Israeli club, a move that ultimately did not materialize.

Batum also achieved significant success with the French national team, earning two Olympic silver medals (Tokyo 2020 and the most recent Olympics in Paris), two FIBA World Cup bronze medals, and the 2013 EuroBasket championship in Slovenia. His impressive career concluded with a brief announcement alongside his young daughter.