Following the 2015/16 season, Nazr Mohammed was expected to call it a career, and he did indeed sit out the 2016/17 campaign. However, the longtime NBA center never officially announced his retirement. Speaking to Kelley D. Evans of The Undefeated, Mohammed confirmed that he essentially considers himself retired, even if he never made a formal announcement.
“I realized a long time ago, seeing other friends and teammates go through it. Only the great ones actually retire. The rest of us get retired,” Mohammed said. “I don’t feel like I need to officially retire, but I am retired.
“What I mean by that is, you know, there’s always a situation you would play for, but after a year has passed, I’m not really thinking in that mindset as far as playing again,” Mohammed continued. “I’m looking more into the business of basketball. There are things I want to do as far as looking for the right situation that can teach me the business of basketball and put me in a position where I have an opportunity to learn as much as I can. My dream is to one day run my own organization, whether it’s GM or as the president of an organization. I think I can manage and help build a championship team.”
Mohammed, who will celebrate his 40th birthday next month, entered the NBA as a first-round draft pick out of Kentucky in 1998. Over the next 18 years, he appeared in more than 1,000 regular season games and another 88 postseason contests, spending time with the Sixers, Hawks, Knicks, Spurs, Pistons, Bobcats, Thunder, and Bulls.
For his career, Mohammed averaged 5.8 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 15.8 minutes per game. The 6’10” center likely experienced his best season in 2004/05 — after serving as the Knicks’ starting center for most of the year, he was traded to the Spurs in a deadline deal, and won a championship with San Antonio in ’05. Mohammed averaged 9.5 PPG and 7.6 RPG that season, and was the Spurs’ starting center throughout the playoffs.
Although Mohammed hopes to join an NBA front office at some point, he’s currently spending his time focusing on community work and fundraising, as Evans’ piece for The Undefeated details.
I’m unofficially retired from the NBA too Nazr