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SportsQuiet 42h · day 3

Nicolas Batum retires after 18 NBA seasons on 35th anniversary of father's death

The French veteran announced his departure in a video reflecting on his father's death on court and his desire to be a full-time dad.

newest coverage 1d agosummary written 2d ago34 pieces72 likes & upvotes MastodonNewswiresBluesky

What to know

  • Nicolas Batum, 37, retired after 18 NBA seasons, ending a 21-year professional basketball career across the Trail Blazers, Hornets, 76ers, and Clippers.
  • He deliberately announced his retirement on September 21—the 35th anniversary of his father Richard's death on a basketball court in 1991 when Batum was 2 years old.
  • Batum cited his desire to be a present father to his son as the primary reason, contrasting his own childhood with his father's inability to live a normal life due to basketball.
  • The retirement announcement, delivered in a 10-minute video from his childhood gym in France, emphasized fatherhood and honoring his late father's legacy rather than basketball achievements.

“You see, my father's basketball career ended because he died, so he never got to carry on with his life. I can. Maybe that's why I'm most proud, and I'm happy today.”

Nicolas Batum, NBA veteran · Sporting News ↗ · Sep 20

Nicolas Batum NBA veteran, French national team captainRichard Batum Nicolas's father, professional basketball player

Nicolas Batum retires after 18 NBA seasons on 35th anniversary of father's death
Sports Illustrated

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 7 pieces in one hour at Sep 22, 1 PM; 34 pieces over 3 days (23 articles · 11 posts) Sep 21, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Sep 21, 12 PM — 4 pieces · 3 articles · 1 post — Newswires 3, Mastodon 1Sep 21, 1 PM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Newswires 2Sep 21, 2 PM — 5 pieces · 4 articles · 1 post — Newswires 4, Mastodon 1Sep 21, 3 PM — 4 pieces · 4 articles — Newswires 4Sep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — 4 pieces · 3 articles · 1 post — Newswires 3, Mastodon 1Sep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 11 PM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Mastodon 2Sep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Mastodon 2Sep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — 7 pieces · 6 articles · 1 post — Newswires 6, Mastodon 1Sep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quiet 1
Sep 22yesterdaynow · 8:53 AM ET
  1. 1

    Batum prioritizes fatherhood over basketball career

    In the retirement video shot at his childhood gym in Pont-l'Évêque, France, Batum told his son Ayden that he is retiring to be a full-time father and attend his games and practices—something his own father could not do due to his basketball career and early death.

    “I can finally start a new life, one I didn't get to have as a kid: A life like yours, with your dad. I can do what my father couldn't.”
    — Nicolas Batum
    1. 5 outlets 18-Year NBA Veteran Announces Retirement Decision

      first by Newsweek, 2d ago · also Sports Illustrated, NY Post, Yahoo Sports, Philadelphia Inquirer

      6 more headlines
    • nba@channels.im

      Longtime NBA forward Nicolas Batum retires after 18-year career https://www. rawchili.com/nba/840940/ # Basketball # blazers # LosAngelesClippers # NBA # NBADraft # NBAPlayoffs # Portland # PortlandTrailBlazers # PortlandTrailBlazers # Sports # TrailBlazers

      nba@channels.imMastodon2d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 7 posts in this stretch
    • nba@channels.im

      Former Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum retires after 18 NBA seasons https://www. rawchili.com/nba/840864/ # Basketball # Houston # HoustonRockets # HoustonRockets # NBA # Rockets

      nba@channels.imMastodon2d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗

    • Former Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum announces retirement https://www. oregonlive.com/blazers/2026/09 /former-trail-blazers-forward-nicolas-batum-announces-retirement.html?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into Portland Trail Blazers News from The Oregonian @ portland-trail-blazers-news-from-the-oregonian-TheOregonian

      TheOregonian@flipboard.comMastodon2d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. background

    Batum reveals emotional reason: father's death 35 years ago on same date — In his retirement video, Batum disclosed that he deliberately chose September 21 for his announcement—the 35th anniversary of his father Richard's death on a basketball court in France when Batum was 2 years old. His father collapsed at the free-throw line due to a ruptured aneurysm, never getting to live a normal life or be fully present for his family.

  3. background

    Nicolas Batum announces retirement from NBA — The 37-year-old French veteran announced his retirement from professional basketball via social media, ending an 18-season NBA career with the Trail Blazers, Hornets, 76ers, and Clippers.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 4 outlets Adieu, Batum: 18-year NBA vet, Team France stalwart retires

    first by ESPN, 2d ago · also Yahoo Sports, Le Monde EN, ESPN NBA

    3 more headlines
  2. 3 outlets Veteran swingman retires from NBA after 18 seasons: ‘It’s over’

    first by MassLive, 1d ago · also PennLive, The Oregonian

  3. 2 outlets Nicolas Batum reveals the reasons behind him stepping away from basketball after 21 years

    first by Yahoo Sports, 2d ago · also Sporting News

and 2 smaller pieces

What people are saying 4 voices from 2 sites · best of 9 · verbatim