Nicolas Batum, the 6-foot-7 forward who’s been grinding it out for 18 seasons in the NBA, just officially called it a career. This dude announced his retirement in a social media video today, straight up telling his son, “Yeah, that’s it. I’m done playing basketball.” The video itself kicked off with Batum dropping the impactful line, “After 21 years, it’s time for me to go home.” Talk about a mic drop moment for a true veteran.
From Normandy to Portland, a True Grind
The emotion in that video was palpable, filmed right where it all started for him, a gym in Pont-l’Évêque, Normandy. Batum, who’s now 37, was a first-round pick back in 2008, grabbed by the Houston Rockets at No. 25 overall after tearing it up for two seasons with Le Mans Sarthe in his native France. But he didn’t even play a minute for the Rockets. He got shipped off to the Portland Trail Blazers on draft night, where he ended up spending seven seasons. Man, he put in work there, averaging 19.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. During his time in Portland, they made the playoffs five times, even hitting the second round once. That’s a solid run for an emerging talent.
The Journey Through Charlotte, Philly, and LA
After the 2014-15 season, Batum was on the move again, traded to the Charlotte Hornets. He kept putting up numbers, averaging 18.6 points and 8.5 boards with the Hornets. But injuries started to bite, limiting him to just 22 games in the 2019-20 campaign with finger and hand issues. Charlotte waived him early in the 2020-21 season, and he linked up with the Los Angeles Clippers for the first of his two stints there. Fast forward to the 2023-24 season, and Batum got traded to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a monster seven-player, four-draft pick deal that sent James Harden to the Clippers. After 57 games in Philly, word was he was thinking about retirement *then*, but he ended up re-signing with the Clippers for another two years. He closed out his career playing 152 games for the Clippers over the last two seasons, hitting 42% from deep on 216 attempts, averaging 8.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.5 minutes.
What a career, seriously. Over 18 NBA seasons, Batum finished with overall averages of 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 37% from beyond the arc. And let’s not forget his international game! This dude snagged silver medals with France at both the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Games, plus bronze medals at the 2014 and 2019 FIBA World Cups. Eighteen years, folks. A true warrior for France and a solid, versatile pro in the NBA. Respect, Nico. Enjoy going home.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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