Gordon Hayward retires after 14 NBA seasons

Gordon Hayward retires after 14 NBA seasons

Veteran forward Gordon Hayward announced his retirement from the NBA after 14 seasons on Thursday.

He released a statement on Twitter, and an excerpt reads as follows:

“Today, I am officially retiring from the game of basketball,” he wrote. “It’s been an incredibly ride and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve more than I ever imagined.

“To all my coaches, teammates, trainers, doctors, friends and family – there are too many people to name in this short post, but you supported me 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 to do 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.”

Hayward most recently played for the Oklahoma City Thunder after getting traded by the Charlotte Hornets at the deadline. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists across 24.4 minutes in 51 combined games (28 starts) last season, shooting 46.4 percent from the floor, 41.1 percent from 3-point range and 74.2 percent from the free-throw line.

He played for four different organizations across his 14 NBA seasons: Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Hornets and Thunder. Hayward was drafted No. 9 overall by the Jazz in 2010, where he spent seven seasons before signing with the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2017-18 season. Though after Hayward fractured his ankle within minutes of the 2017-18 season opener, he was never the same athletically.

Nevertheless, Hayward still averaged 15.2 points in 835 career games–649 starts–in addition to 4.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals on 45.5 percent shooting, 37.0 percent from 3-point range and 82.2 percent from the charity stripe. He made one All-Star team in 2016-17.

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The post Gordon Hayward retires after 14 NBA seasons appeared first on Vendetta Sports Media .