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Forward Gordon Hayward announced his retirement from the NBA after 14 seasons on Thursday.
Hayward, 34, wrote in a post on social media: “Today, I am officially retiring from the game of basketball. It’s been an incredible ride and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve more than I ever imagined.” Hayward thanked his parents and family, his agent Mark Bartelstein, coaches, teammates, trainers, doctors and friends for supporting him “through countless years and cities, helping me exceed my own expectations .. To all my fans: thank you for supporting me through the ups and downs. I’ll always cherish the letters of encouragement and the moments we’ve shared around the world. You inspired me to always dream big and improve everyday — and for the young players up next, I challenge you do to the same! As I move to spend more time with my family as a father and husband, I look forward to new adventures and challenges, taking with me the lessons I’ve learned on the court that will guide me across my next chapters, both in business and in life. I can’t wait for what’s next!”
Hayward entered the NBA after a prolific college career at Butler, in which he nearly gave Butler a national title over Duke with a half-court shot that just missed on the final play of the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball championship game. The ninth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz, Hayward was an All-Star in 2017 with Utah before signing with the Boston Celtics as a free agent that summer.
Hayward averaged 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 51 games with the Charlotte Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder last season. He finishes his NBA career having averaged 15.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
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