Nicolas Batum is retiring from basketball, he shared in a social media announcement on Monday. Batum, who joined the NBA ranks as the No. 25 overall pick in the 2008 draft, played 18 seasons across stints with the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers. Through 74 game appearances with the Clippers last year, the 37-year-old Frenchman averaged four points in 17.5 minutes per game.
In addition to his 18 NBA seasons, Batum also played 15 years with the French national team. He was a captain on the French team that claimed a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. "I decided to retire from basketball for several reasons," Batum told his daughter in his retirement video.
"I want to come home and be with you. I'm going to take care of you and make room for others. I think I've done my time.
"When you've played as much basketball as I have, at some point, you have to know when to stop," he added. "What I'll miss the most is practice, the games, the competition. ... It's the life I've known for 25 years." Batum averaged 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and three assists per game over the course of his NBA career.
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