40, has announced his retirement as a professional player after the Toronto Raptors recently cut him from their squad, and has also stated that “basketball will forever be engraved” in his “DNA” thanks to an extensive career with successes such as his two gold medals in the Olympic Games.
“That’s it! After more than 21 years, I’m walking away from basketball. As I write this, it’s hard to know what to feel, but for once – most would be surprised – I don’t have the answer. But, above all, I’m filled with a lot of joy and gratitude!” Paul published this Thursday in a message from his official Instagram account. “Although this stage as an NBA player has passed, basketball will forever be engraved in my DNA. I have been in the NBA for more than half of my life, three decades. It’s crazy to even say it! Playing basketball for a living has been an incredible blessing, which also comes with a lot of responsibility,” ‘CP3’ added in his message. “I accepted it all: the good and the bad. As someone who constantly learns, leadership is difficult and is not for the weak. Some will like you and many will not. But the goal was always the goal, and my intentions were always sincere (Damn, I love competing!),” concluded the Olympic champion in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
At 40 years old, he was playing his twenty-first season in the NBA and last November he strongly suggested that it would be his last. “The 12-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist has been selected four times for the All-NBA first team and ranks second in NBA history in assists (12,552) and steals (2,728). He was the first player to score at least 20,000 points and register at least 10,000 assists,” the NBA itself finally highlighted.
