Nicolas Batum Announces Retirement from Basketball at Age 37
French forward Nicolas Batum has officially announced his retirement from basketball at age 37, ending an 18-season NBA career and a legendary run with the French national team.
Nicolas Batum has officially announced his retirement from basketball at the age of 37. The French forward published a video on social media explaining his decision and reflecting on his remarkable career journey.
Batum dedicated the emotional video to his late father, who passed away during a basketball game in 1991 due to an aneurysm when Nicolas was just two years old. The retirement announcement came exactly 35 years after his father's death.
"After 21 years, it is time for me to go back home," Batum said in his farewell message. "It has been 25 years since I left, 20 years as a professional. That is a lot. 18 years in the NBA, 15 with the French national team."
Drafted 25th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, Batum was immediately traded on draft night to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he played for seven seasons. He later spent five seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, with his career-best season coming in 2016/17 when he averaged 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.
Batum spent most of his final years in the league with the Los Angeles Clippers, alongside a brief stint with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2023/24 season. Overall, he appeared in 1,205 regular-season games throughout his NBA career, averaging 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3 assists in 28.2 minutes per game.
In addition to his stellar NBA career, Batum is one of the most decorated players in the history of the French national team. He won two Olympic silver medals, two World Cup bronze medals, and multiple medals at the EuroBasket tournament, including gold.
