Kenyon Martin retires after 15 NBA seasons
The 15-year NBA career of power forward Kenyon Martin has officially come to an end.
"It's been a great 15 years," Martin told Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports. "Thanks to all the fans that supported me over the years. But a time does come when you have to walk away, and the time is now for me. I'm ready for the next chapter of my life.
"I would like to thank the (Brooklyn) Nets, (Denver) Nuggets, (Los Angeles) Clippers, (New York) Knicks and (Milwaukee) Bucks for the opportunity to play the game that I love."
Martin was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft by New Jersey and played four full seasons with the franchise before being traded to Denver in a sign-and-trade for three first-round draft picks.
After entering unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2010-11 season, Martin elected to head overseas and play ball for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers as the National Basketball Association entered its third major lockout.
He returned to the league in February 2012 after signing on with the Clippers, averaging 5.2 points in 42 appearances. The Knicks then picked him up the following year and he started over half his games during his two-year stint.
Martin played 11 games for the Bucks last season, operating under two 10-day contracts, eventually being waived at the trade deadline.
His career numbers are certainly respectable, totaling 9,325 points, 5,159 rebounds, 893 steals, and 864 blocks in 757 games, making one NBA All-Star appearance (2004) along the way.
Martin never won an NBA championship, but he did come close, losing back-to-back finals matchups in 2002 and 2003.
This may not be the last we see of Martin in the world of basketball, though, as he told Yahoo Sports that he would consider coaching if the opportunity presented itself. His son, Kenyon Jr., also has dreams of entering the NBA.
Farewell, Kenyon. It's been fun.