Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison surprised the basketball world Friday night, retiring from the NBA at age 31.
Collison made his retirement announcement in a written post on The Undefeated, saying he plans on focusing on his faith and family.
“Basketball has been my life since I was a child,” Collison wrote. “I could never imagine finding anything that brings me more joy than I get from playing the game. While I still love basketball, I know there is something more important, which is my family and my faith. I am one of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and my faith means everything to me. I receive so much joy from volunteering to help others and participate in a worldwide ministry.
“The joy I feel is unmatched.”
Collison was set to become a free agent and could have potentially earned an eight-figure annual salary on his next deal.
Collison had been an underrated-yet-consistent producer throughout his 10-year NBA career.
Overall, the 2009-10 NBA All-Rookie First Team point guard averaged 12.5 points and 5.0 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 708 regular-season games, 518 of which he started.
The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native was selected 21st overall by the New Orleans Hornets in the 2009 NBA Draft after four years starring at UCLA. He was traded to the Pacers in 2010, where he spent two years after his rookie season.
He had one-year stints with the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers before signing a three-year deal with the Sacramento Kings in 2014.
Collison returned to the Pacers ahead of the 2017-18 season and he ended up leading the league with a .468 three-point percentage that year. He averaged a personal best 6.0 assists in 76 appearances this past season.
“I am so grateful for all the opportunities that basketball has brought to my life,” Collison added. “I have had the privilege over the past 10 years to play in front of some of the best fans and with some of the best organizations in the league.”
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