Otto Porter Jr. announces retirement after 11-year career: ‘My body is not allowing me to play’

Not too long ago an NBA champion with the Warriors, today Otto Porter Jr. has decided to hang up his basketball shoes for good and retire at the age of 30. As this comes as a huge surprise for fans, players and experts alike, the veteran assures that his body isn’t responding the same as before. 

His decision came the same day that the athlete had been waived by the Jazz, as he had been recently traded from Toronto to Utah this year. The forward played 15 games as a Raptor this campaign, but was transferred out to a franchise that didn’t have him in his plans.

The player announced the news to end his 11-year career through a statement released by his former team late on Monday night, explaining how he had already achieved all his dreams during his time in the league. “For the past 11 years, I had the chance to live my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA,” Porter Jr. assured.

Otto Porter Jr. has announced his retirement from the NBA after 11 seasons 👏

The former No. 3 overall pick out of Georgetown won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2022. pic.twitter.com/axh512NZRP

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 12, 2024

“That dream was capped by winning an NBA Championship! Unfortunately, my body is not allowing me to play at the level that I expect of myself, and I have therefore decided to retire,” he admitted, as injuries have been a constant struggle in his most recent campaigns.

The 30-year-old averaged 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest during his career, where he played his first five years and a half wearing the Wizards jersey, before moving to Chicago, Orlando, Golden State and Toronto.

Porter was part of the trade that send Ochai Agbaji and Kelly Olynyk to the Canadian franchise, which resulted with him landing in Utah, but never got a chance to play for the team.

Over his past two seasons, Otto has been battling with injuries, as he’s only participated in 23 matches during this time span. The last time he participated in more than 30 matches in a single campaign, was just once in the past five years, when he contributed to Golden State’s 2022 title run.

The NBA world was left in shock with Porter’s decision to retire from professional basketball

Otto’s decision surely came as a huge surprise for most NBA fans, as many believed he still had many years of playing basketball left in him. Some of his former teammates celebrated his career, as Draymond Green dedicated some love for him by posting on his Instagram account.

The Warriors forward shared Bleacher Report’s official post about his retirement and wrote “Yeaaahhhhh CHAMP!!” followed by “Job well done OP,” added at the bottom end of his story with him holding the 2022 NBA trophy.

Fans around X were in disbelief after the news and shared praise for him. “Congrats Warriors legend,” one read, while others wished he kept playing, “Damn man, I wanted him back in Golden State.”

Another account called @British_Buzz reminded us all that he was drafted as the No.3 from Georgetown not too long ago. “I remember watching the Otto Porter draft film… Man, I feel old,” he wrote.