Former NBA All-Star Says Goodbye to Basketball

Gordon Hayward played 51 games for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets last season.

He finished the year with averages of 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while making 46.4% of his field goals and 41.1% of his three-pointers.

Hayward is currently a free agent, but on Thursday he will announced his retirement from the NBA.

Hayward in the middle of his letter: “Today I officially retire from basketball. It has been an incredible ride and I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me achieve more than I could ever imagine.”

Hayward was the ninth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, behind Butler.

He played 14 seasons for the Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder.

His best period in his career was with Utah, where he reached the NBA All-Star Game in 2017.

That year, Hayward averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 47.1% and making 39.8% from three-pointers.

Hayward posted career averages of 15.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game while making 45.5% of his field goals and 37.0% of his three-pointers in 835 regular season games.

The 34-year-old has also played in 36 NBA playoff games (16 as a starter).

Hayward completed the 2023-24 season with the Thunder.

They were the top seed in the Western Conference, but lost in the second round of the NBA playoffs to Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks.