Nicolas Batum, the 37-year-old French forward who spent 18 seasons in the NBA, announced his retirement on Monday in a video posted to social media alongside his 10-year-old son, Ayden.
"I decided to retire from basketball for several reasons," Batum told his son in the nearly 10-minute clip, filmed at the gym in Pont-l'Évêque, France, where he first started playing 35 years ago. "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."
Selected 25th overall in the 2008 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Batum played seven seasons in Portland before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 2015. He spent six seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers across two stints, with a brief detour to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023-24 as part of the James Harden trade.
Batum was never an All-Star, but built a reputation as one of the league's most selfless and versatile role players. His 6-foot-7 frame and 7-foot-1 wingspan allowed him to guard multiple positions, while his 37% career three-point shooting kept defenses honest. He averaged 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists over 1,205 regular-season games.
With France, Batum was a cornerstone for over a decade. He helped Les Bleus reach the gold medal game at both the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, earning silver medals on both occasions. In Paris 2024, he served as captain and was prominently featured in the Netflix documentary "Court of Gold," delivering fiery halftime speeches and mentoring young star Victor Wembanyama.
Earlier this summer, the Clippers declined their option on Batum's $5.9 million contract for 2026-27, leaving him an unrestricted free agent. Rather than seek another roster spot, the Frenchman chose to walk away on his own terms.
"When you've played as much basketball as I have, you have to know when to stop," Batum said. "It's over."
Sources
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/clippers/2026/09/22/nicolas-batum-retirement-stats/91884047007/ https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2026-09-21/clippers-forward-nicolas-batum-announces-retirement
