It’s just time.
Marco Belinelli announced his retirement from basketball on Monday after a long, championship career.
Belinelli began his NBA career with the 2007 NBA Draft, when the Golden State Warriors chose him with the No. 18 overall selection.
The Italian shooting guard went on to play for the Spurs, Hornets, Bulls, Kings, Raptors, Hawks and 76ers after two seasons in Golden State.
In 2014, Belinelli was part of the San Antonio Spurs team that won an NBA title.
Belinelli spent his past five seasons playing in his native Italy, and he concluded by winning a league title with Virtus Bologna.
The 39-year old announced his retirement on social media.
In a statement, Belinelli wrote: “I gave it my heart. Every piece of me. Every single day. Basketball gave me everything… and I gave it everything I had. Saying goodbye isn’t easy. But it’s time. I carry with me every emotion, every sacrifice, every cheer. Thank you to those who always believed. To the next generation—I leave a dream. Make it count.”
Belinelli played 75 total games across two seasons with the Warriors, starting 23 of them. He made 39.5% of his 3-pointers and averaged 6.2 points per game.
All told, he played 860 NBA games and averaged 9.7 points.
The Warriors traded him away in July 2009 for Devean George and cash, an odd trade then and now. George played just 45 games for the Warriors before his NBA career was over.
It only took a decade and a half for the other side of that deal, Belinelli, to finally hang up his high-top sneakers.
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