Former NBA Lottery Pick John Henson Confirms Retirement

Former NBA center John Henson announced his retirement on Thursday. Henson, 33, confirmed to Spencer Davies of RG.org in an exclusive phone interview that he has retired as a player and will pursue broadcasting. He has been out of the NBA since 2020 and has no desire to attempt a comeback.

Former NBA first-round pick John Henson is retiring “to explore and figure out” what he wants in life

“I’m done bro lol. I was so blessed to play this long,” Henson texted Davies. “It’s a lot of opportunities, man. It’s just a matter of one step at a time. … I have time to explore and figure out what I want to do next. “This is just the next phase, and we’ll see where it takes me. But so far, so good.

“It’s been fun. It’s like a journey, man. Every year, there’s new opportunities. Just like basketball, you’ve got to work hard, stay down, be prepared and meet the right people. … [You also need to] know the right people, treat people the right way, and it’ll progress forward for you.”

In 445 career NBA regular-season games (160 starts) across eight seasons, he averaged 7.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 19.7 minutes per contest while shooting 54% from the field, 25% from 3-point range, and 56.8% at the free throw line.

Former NBA center @Johnhenson31, exclusively for @RGSafePlay, confirms his retirement and looks forward to the next phase of his life in sports media.

via @SpinDavies https://t.co/Lnd7laGFeC

— RG.org (@RGSafePlay) September 11, 2024

The 6-foot-9 Henson was selected 14th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2012 NBA draft out of North Carolina. He spent his first seven seasons (2012-18) with the Bucks, then played for the Cleveland Cavaliers (2018-20) and Detroit Pistons (2019-20 season).

In Milwaukee’s 113-103 loss to the Orlando Magic on April 10, 2013, he recorded 17 points, a career-high 25 rebounds, three assists, and seven blocks in 41 minutes off the bench.

Then in the Bucks’ 95-89 regular-season finale win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 17, he posted a career-high 28 points, 16 rebounds, and one assist in 44 minutes as a starter.

Henson has been prioritizing media jobs after passing on coaching offers in recent years

In 70 games (23 starts) of the 2013-14 season, John Henson averaged career bests of 11.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 26.5 minutes per game. However, wrist and hamstring injuries sidelined him and limited his availability during his final few seasons.

Although he inked a 10-day contract with the New York Knicks in April 2021, Henson didn’t appear in any games for the NBA franchise. He also signed with Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico in March 2022, but ended up not playing any minutes.

“I could’ve fought. I could’ve went the G League route and tried to work my way back, but I’ve always just been a guy that basketball’s never life or death for me or my life,” Henson said.

“I’m not gonna sit here and bang my head against the wall. My first initial thought was let me finish my education and let me see what happens. Then, we’ll go from there.”

According to Davies’ report, Henson has passed on coaching offers in recent years. He turned down an offer to be a veteran mentor on the G League Ignite’s roster. Additionally, he rejected an assistant coaching position for the Capital City Go-Go, the Washington Wizards‘ G League affiliate.

Furthermore, Henson has been prioritizing media jobs. He’ll provide color commentary for ACC games and serve as an analyst on SiriusXM’s ACC Today program during the 2024-25 season. Henson previously spent two seasons appearing on “The Bettor Half Hour” on MSG Network as well.