Nicolas Batum has announced his retirement from the NBA after an 18-year career. The 37-year-old forward made the announcement in a social media video alongside his son, Ayden, on Monday.
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In the video, Batum stated, "I decided to retire from basketball for several reasons. I want to come home and be with you. I’m going to take care of you and make room for others. I think I’ve done my time. My time with France ended two years ago. And the NBA is over too. You know, when you’ve played as much basketball as I have, at some point, you have to know when to stop. … I’ve done everything I needed to do."
Batum began his professional career in the French league before being selected in the first round of the NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He played seven seasons with Portland, followed by six seasons with the Charlotte Hornets.
Most recently, he spent his last six seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, with a brief period at the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2023-24 season. Batum also represented France on national teams that earned silver medals at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games.
Throughout his NBA tenure, Batum averaged 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 37% from beyond the arc.