“Today, I am officially retiring from the game of basketball,” Hayward wrote on social media. “It’s been an incredible ride and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve more than I ever imagined.”
On Thursday, veteran NBA player Gordon Hayward announced his retirement at the age of 34.
Drafted ninth overall in 2010 from Butler University, Hayward was a standout player, leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament championship game. Despite a dramatic half-court shot at the buzzer, Butler fell just short against Duke, losing 61-59.
Hayward played for Utah, Boston, Charlotte and Oklahoma City, and was an All-Star in 2017. He averaged 15.2 points in 835 career regular-season games, and said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family.
His career faced a major setback early on with the Celtics, when a severe leg injury during his debut game in 2017 ended his season. Despite a strong start with Boston, ongoing injuries plagued the latter part of his career. Hayward struggled with health issues, playing no more than 52 games in any season after 2018-19.
Most recently, Hayward was traded to the Thunder last season after over three seasons with the Hornets. In 26 regular-season games with Oklahoma City, he averaged 5.3 points per game and played in seven playoff games.
Throughout his career, Hayward averaged 15.2 points per game and was known for his sharpshooting, hitting 37 percent from beyond the 3-point line.