NEW YORK — Veteran forward Danilo Gallinari revealed on Tuesday that he is retiring from professional basketball, closing the book on a 16-year NBA career. The 37-year-old made the announcement in a post on his personal Instagram account.
“Today, with a heart full of gratitude, I am announcing my retirement from a career I’ve always dreamed of,” Gallinari wrote, thanking family, friends, coaches, teammates and supporters who “shared every moment” with him.
Drafted sixth overall by the New York Knicks in 2008, the 6-10 Italian began his NBA tenure at Madison Square Garden before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in the 2011 blockbuster that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York. Gallinari later suited up for the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks.
Across 777 regular-season contests, he averaged 14.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 28.8 minutes per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point range and 87.6 percent at the foul line. His 1,456 made three-pointers place him 61st on the NBA’s all-time list.
Gallinari appeared in 16 NBA seasons, missing two full campaigns because of ACL injuries. He last played in the league during the 2023-24 season, then joined Puerto Rico’s Vaqueros de Bayamón and represented Italy at this year’s EuroBasket.
Earlier in 2025, the forward said he was weighing one final NBA deal or a possible return to the EuroLeague. Instead, he opted to step away from the game, writing, “I’m beyond excited for the next chapter.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
