Gordon Hayward has retired from the NBA after 14 seasons, he announced on social media Thursday.
“Today, I am officially retiring from the game of basketball,” Hayward wrote. “It’s been an incredible ride and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve more than I ever imagined.”
A versatile forward, Hayward — the ninth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz — was an All-Star in 2017 with Utah before signing with the Boston Celtics as a free agent that summer. Hayward suffered a gruesome leg injury in his first game for Boston, an injury that cost him that season and saw him need another one to round back into form.
Last season, Hayward averaged 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 51 games with the Charlotte Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder. He was traded to Oklahoma City midseason as part of a deal the Thunder hoped would help them in the playoffs….
