Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison announced his shock retirement from the NBA at age 31 to focus on his faith and family. He handled himself with class on and off the court and was a helluva player. "From the amount of moves that we've made, the day-to-day challenges we faced and all the while dealt with the emotions of an up and down season. In the first half, the Celtics shot 72% and scored 40 in the paint. While most of the best teams made it On January 26, 2020, the basketball world mourned the loss of one of its brightest stars and greatest icons. Collison was expected to draw interest from several teams in free agency, which officially begins on Sunday at 6 p.m. He is one of 26 players in NBA history to average at least 10 points and 3.5 assists per game in each of his first 10 seasons. He is a career 39.4 percent 3-point shooter and led the league with a 46.8 3-point percentage two seasons ago. I am one of the Jehovahs Witnesses and my faith means everything to me, the 31-year-old wrote in a column published Friday on The Undefeated. He was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets in the first round with the 21st overall pick of the 2009 NBA draft. He had been considering a comeback with either of the Los Angeles teams in February or. If he doesnt win it, Im still gonna give him a hug and tell him hes the MVP in my eyes.. Several people in the basketball community were stunned by Collisons decision to retire because he was one of the best point guards in the league and still had several years of great play ahead of him. Darren Collison retires to focus on being Jehovah's Witness Darren Collison announces retirement from NBA | NBA.com His last team in the league before the early retirement was Indiana, where Collison played the best basketball of his career. Darren Collison announces retirement from NBA | NBA.com The 31-year-old point guard averaged 12.5 PPG and 5.0 assists per game over his career. Collison averaged 12.5 points per game and 5.0 assists over his career, playing for New Orleans, Indiana, Dallas, Los Angeles and Sacramento. Respect! Nikolas an MVP for a reason, Malone said. [16] He again backed up Chris Paul, who was also on the Clippers. With that being said, I have decided to retire from the NBA.". Darren McGrady, a former personal chef for Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and Princes William and Harry, fired off a tweetstorm aimed at Meghan Markle after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced Wednesday that they were stepping back as "senior" members of the royal family. He won the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. Big Bro Happy Retirement! 2023 Cable News Network. In addition, Collisons retirement has provided him more time to concentrate on his charitable endeavours. He was also well-liked in the basketball world; following his retirement, numerous players expressed their adoration for him. Collison said in the letter that while he had done his best to help the less fortunate, he will now have the ability to do more in retirement. Why did he retire in the first place? [13] After starting the team's first 14 games, Collison came off the bench for one game. His parents were elite track and field athletes. Updated And no matter how close Irving might be to James, the Lakers are disinterested in pursuing him in free agency, say league sources, who like all unnamed sources in this article were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. ", Collison retires from NBA at 31 to focus on faith, 'That was crazy, no cap': How one wild sequence helped the 76ers steal Game 1, 'Aggressive' Harden takes over as 76ers stun C's, Suns' Paul leaves G2 loss with left groin tightness, Jokic powers Nuggets to 2-0, shrugs off MVP talk, Horford: Celtics let up defensively with Embiid out, Butler gets treatment on ankle; still iffy for G2, Calipari thanks Bryants for package honoring Gigi, 'It's going to be epic': Stephen Curry and LeBron James face off -- again, Tigers coach fumes at Zaire v Dwyane comparisons after loss, Pregame chats, language arts and 'a lot of fines': Inside NBA player-ref dynamics, Darren Collison: 'I have decided to retire from the NBA', Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Unlike most players out of the league at 31, a catastrophic injury or natural decline isn't why Collison decided to step away. No Embiid will put a big load on B-Ball Paul Reed, who will get heavy minutes at center. If he wins, it, we will be celebrating and very happy for him because itd be a huge accomplishment three years in a row. The Sixers find a way to win without Joel Embiid thanks to a massive game from James Harden and some key dirty work from backup center Paul Reed. Darren Collison signs with Lakers' G League affiliate with hopes of They surround him with shooters, because hes a great passer. She is our strength. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Quick Facts Previous article Tiffany Toth Next article Sarah Hyland finally tied the knot with Wells Adams after three years of their engagement! It puts us in scramble mode. He was drafted in 2009 out of UCLA. Doc Rivers: Joel Embiid shot a bit today after shootaround but still hasnt progressed to running. Collison's wife is named Jessica and they have two children together: a son and a daughter. A Warner Bros. The Suns held Murray to 10 points 48 hours after he went off for 34 but they had no answers for Jokic. In addition to working as an analyst for ESPN, he has appeared as a guest on a number of sports discussion shows. The Suns lost Chris Paul to a tight left groin late in the third quarter and he finished with 8 points. Boston had an insanely good offensive rating of 127.8. The joy I feel is unmatched. He has earned that.". By the fourth quarter, when the Lakers had made the game a laugher and turned it into garbage time, Irving got up and left the arena. pic.twitter.com/isat1SZw0V, Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) June 29, 2019, Thanks for everything big bro! Enjoy retirement! When it was confirmed that Joel Embiid was out for Game 1, the assumption from everyone including the Celtics was that Boston was going to walk to an easy Game 1 win. But the most important person of all in this NBA journey is my loving wife, Keyosha. Only a few guys in NBA history have done that, Malone said. He continued by expressing his deep desire to prioritise his faith and spend more time with his family. Report: Darren Collison mulling return to NBA | NBA.com | @Nissan pic.twitter.com/uqr96nZErd, NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) May 2, 2023. SALT LAKE CITY In a recent post on ESPN's The Undefeated, Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison announced his retirement from basketball to focus on "my family and my faith." Collison's letter is sparse on details. "[17] In Game 4 of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Clippers overcame a 22-point deficit to tie the series at 22, as Collison scored 12 of his 18 points in the final quarter to help lead the team to a 10199 win. She inspired me the most through my 10-year career. "While I still love basketball, I know there is something more important, which is my family and my faith,". The veteran point guard explains why hes stepping away from the game. Did you encounter any technical issues? Darren Collison is a retired NBA player who played for several teams including the Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, and Dallas Mavericks. When was Karl Malone charged with RAPE? With them, they wanted (Jayson) Tatum to score. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Thank you for respecting my decision, Collison said. With the conference semifinals set, let's take a look at the best player in each of the 8 first-round series. He is recognized for his insightful game analysis and attention to detail, making him a highly regarded NBA editor and writer for FirstSportz. Veteran point guard Darren Collison has decided to retire from the NBA after 10 seasons to focus on his faith and family, he told ESPN's The Undefeated in a letter. The Celtics shot 58.7% for the game and scored a ridiculously high 66 points in the paint. In 99 games played during that season, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Thats where we are right now.. Its a combination ripe for disaster. Collison strongly thanked Duffy for his years of service. 4 on Wednesday, March 20 when the Thunder hosts the Toronto Raptors at Chesapeake Energy. CNN NBA veteran point guard Darren Collison is calling it a career to focus on faith. Thank you, General! said Victor Oladipo. Alaa Abdeldaiem. : TNT | Game 1 | PHI at BOS pic.twitter.com/HfsrXMjyYa. 2023 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. He has made no secret of the value he places on his family and the part that faith plays in his life. Thank you for respecting my decision. Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports By DARREN COLLISON June 28, 2019 As a first-round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, he played as a point guard. Darren Collison's net worth in 2021 - ClutchPoints The Clippers went 126 in that span, and coach Doc Rivers said the team "weathered the storm" without their All-Star point guard; he called Collison's play "the key. The Eastern Conference Semi-Finals are underway in grand style. She is my favorite teammate. [1] He also averaged 5.7 assists (2nd in the Pac-10), as well as a three-point field goal percentage of 44.7 percent. He has experience in track and field, wrestling, and martial arts, and he knows exactly what it takes to be successful. [15] 14 games later, on December 27, 2012, he regained the starting job. Darren Collison announced his retirement on @TheUndefeated tonight, here is one of his best plays from last season pic.twitter.com/q3drqyISKd. On July 12, 2012, Collison and Dahntay Jones were traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Ian Mahinmi. The interesting question with Irving is not the salary hes a max player, which in his case likely will start at $46 million a season but how many years? Collison, 31, averaged 11.2 points, 6.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season, his second with the Pacers. When Paul was out 18 games with an injured shoulder, Collison started and averaged 13.3 points and 6.5 assists in 32.6 minutes. Unsure of his chances for Game 2. All Rights Reserved. Darren has an estimated net worth of over $30 million as of 2019. Drafted out of UCLA in 2009, Collison played for the New Orleans Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, LA Clippers and Sacramento Kings. Collison is the founder and CEO of ProsVision, an Orange Country-based basketball training facility. While I still love basketball, I know there is something more important, which is my family and my faith, Collison, 31, wrote in a letter published on ESPNs The Undefeated site. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. [27][28], On December 10, 2018, in a 109101 win over the Washington Wizards, Collison had 17 assists, his highest single-game total with Indiana. Veteran point guard Darren Collison has decided to retire from the NBA after 10 seasons to focus on his faith and family, he told ESPNs The Undefeated in a letter. This is a different team. They let him play 1-on-1 most of the night. [27], On December 24, 2021, Collison came out of retirement, signing a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Collison played. After a year each with the Mavericks and Clippers and three seasons with the Kings, Collison returned to Indiana as a free agent in the summer of 2017. We have been on this journey together since the Etiwanda High days in Inland Empire. He averaged 13.2 points and 5.1 assists in his first season in Indiana, helping the Pacers return to the playoffs for the first time in five years. Philly showed the kind of mental toughness and grit Boston did not and stole Game 1 on the road, 119-115. Teams dont want to go past two, Irving obviously will want four. His status for Game 2 on Wednesday is up in the air, but 76ers coach Doc Rivers said Embiid has not run yet on this knee. Weve got to go home and take care of business. The first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs was a roller coaster. He spent ten seasons in the National Basketball Association with five different teams (NBA). We've received your submission. Darren Collison | Bio, Age, Career, Net worth, Wife, Height, Weight Jayson Tatum scored 39 of 14-of-25 shooting to lead the way. Collison handed out a Hornets rookie-record 18 assists and scored 17 points on January 30, 2010 when New Orleans ended Memphis's 11-game home winning streak with a 113111 overtime victory. It was that kind of game, Jokic said. In a game against the Indiana Pacers on February 19, 2010, Collison became only the second rookie of the 200910 season to get a triple-double with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. Collison was expected to draw interest from several teams in free agency, which officially begins on Sunday at 6 p.m. He led the conference in free throw percentage, and was third in assists, steals, and assists-to-turnover ratio. So were not quite sure what it is right now, but it seems to be something in the groin area. Did Darren Collison Retire? - Sportsmanist He just came up where he couldnt push off of it or anything. Rivers did and Harden answered with 45 points. Darren Collison: I have decided to retire from the NBA. Darren Collison spurns Lakers, Clippers to remain retired - USA Today