Imagine having the desire to keep playing in the NBA, but your body simply won’t let you. That’s the tough reality Meyers Leonard recently had to face. The former Portland Trail Blazers big man wanted to keep going, but after years of struggles, he’s finally decided to hang up his basketball sneakers. However, Leonard’s challenges in the league weren’t just about injuries. His downfall started with a mistake of his own making—one that changed the course of his career.
Back in 2021, Leonard found himself in hot water after using an antisemitic slur during a video game livestream. The backlash was swift. The Miami Heat didn’t just condemn his actions—they told him to stay away from the team indefinitely. That, along with injury issues, led to him missing both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He did make a brief comeback in 2023, but it was barely a return, averaging just 12.7 minutes in nine games.
And now, after missing two more seasons, he’s come to terms with reality—his playing days are over. “BREAKING: Meyers Leonard has announced his retirement from the game of basketball after 10 NBA seasons,” read the caption to the post by Court Size Buzzing. The post further congratulated the ex-Blazers star for a decade-long career in which he averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
This is a developing story.
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