Guard Jason Richardson announced that he is retiring after 14 years in the NBA.
The announcement was made Wednesday night on Facebook and Instagram. Richardson said that the decision was tough, but he decided to retire despite the fact the he signed with the Atlanta Hawks in August, according to the Associated Press. Family and health were the reasons that Richardson decided to retire.
“Today is a bitter sweet moment for me. I'm officially announcing my retirement from pro basketball,” Richardson wrote on Instagram. “I like to thank the organizations and fans in Charlotte, Phoenix, Orlando, Philly and especially The Bay Area for their loyal support the past 14 years. Walking away was the hardest decision I had to make but choosing my health and spending time with my family is more important to me! God bless!”
Richardson was drafted by the Golden State Warrior in 2001. He also played for the Charlotte Bobcats, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Orlando Magic. He played 19 games for the 76ers last year before suffering a knee injury. Richardson retires with career averages of 17.1 points, 2.7 assists, and 5 rebounds, according to Sports Illustrated. He became a Dunk Contest champion and is ranked 16th in the NBA for three-pointers made all-time with 1,608.
Richardson’s contract with the Hawks was a non-guaranteed contract. It will be interesting to see if the Hawks find someone to replace Richardson.
Image via Instagram from >Jason Richardson