Former Pacers point guard Darren Collison announced his retirement on the evening of 6/28 US time. He has been in the NBA for 10 years and his career began in 2009. He was selected by the New Orleans Hornets from UCLA that year and has successively played for the Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings. The 31-year-old has a solid career average of 12.5 points and 5 assists per game.
When I was a kid, basketball was everything in my life. I can't find anything else that brings me more joy than playing. But while I still love basketball, I gradually realize that there are many more important things in the world:my family and my faith. I am a Jehovah's Witness and my faith is everything to me. The joy I get from helping others as a global pastor and volunteer is unparalleled.
Because of the above, I have decided to retire from the NBA.
Obviously, when you love basketball as much as I do, you become so engrossed in it that you can't distract yourself from other passions. I often think I should help others more often, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunities that have been brought into my life because of basketball. I've had the privilege for 10 years of playing for the best franchise in the league in front of the best fans.
My agent, Bill Duffy, is more than just my agent, he is a friend, a mentor, and a family member in my career. I also cherish all the coaches, teammates, and management I have met throughout my career. I will cherish these friendships for a lifetime; especially Victor Oladipo, Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Dwyane Guys like Wade and LeBron James have had a huge impact on me competing at the highest level. The above-mentioned people either have a deeper friendship with me; or they inspire me to work harder on the game. Of course, I never had their credit, but they gave me a goal to keep moving forward, and I'm very grateful for that.
If it weren't for my parents and family, I wouldn't have been in the league for 10 years with love and support; however, the most important thing in this journey is still my beloved wife Keyosha. She has been my favorite teammate since our high school days at Etiwanda High School in the Inland Empire, California. She has been my biggest inspiration for these 10 years and has guided our family through everything. From constantly moving around to facing the emotional ups and downs of every game and every day, she is the source of all our strength.
Finally, thank you to the fans who are reading the article. I want to say thank you for your endless support, and thank you very much for respecting my decision to retire.
| Darren Collison | play | Score | backboard | Assist | Copy | FG% | 3P% | FT% | WS | PER |
| career average | 708 | 12.5 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 1.2 | 47.1% | 39.4% | 85.3% | 16.2 | 49.9 |
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More quotes from other stars on retirement:
- [Kevin Martin Retirement Statement] On behalf of Zanesville, I would like to thank everyone here
- [Steve Nash Retirement Announcement] Second Life After Basketball
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Reference for compiling this article:Darren Collison: 'I have decided to retire from the NBA'
