Longtime NBA wing Marco Belinelli has announced his retirement as a player, as Eurohoops relays. Belinelli confirmed the decision in a social media post on Monday (Instagram link).
“I gave it my heart,” Belinelli wrote. “Every piece of me. Every single day. Basketball gave me everything… and I gave it everything I had. Saying goodbye isn’t easy. But it’s time. I carry with me every emotion, every sacrifice, every cheer. Thank you to those who always believed. To the next generation—I leave a dream. Make it count.”
Belinelli, who turned 39 in March, was selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2007 draft and spent the next 13 seasons in the NBA, appearing in 860 total regular season games for nine teams.
The 6’5″ Italian swingman held career NBA averages of 9.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 22.7 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .424/.376/.846. Known for his outside shooting, he made 1,216 career three-pointers.
Belinelli’s best season came in 2013/14 in San Antonio, when he averaged 11.4 PPG and made a career-high 43.0% of his three-point tries. He won the NBA’s three-point contest that season and was part of the Spurs‘ championship team, appearing in all 23 playoff games the team played that spring.
Belinelli also suited up for Golden State, Toronto, New Orleans, Chicago, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.
Since leaving the NBA in 2020, Belinelli has played for Virtus Bologna, the Italian club with whom he began his career as a teenager. He has bolstered his career résumé in recent years, winning a pair of Lega Serie A titles in 2021 and 2025, earning Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2022 and 2023, and claiming an MVP award in 2024.
Jeez…He is only 39!!! I would have thought he was much older.
I like my meatballs SPICY !
I always thought his name was Malto. Oh well