Meyers Leonard announces NBA retirement, reflects on career

Former Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard retires at 33, sharing reflections and a country song marking his career.


Sports Desk March 03, 2025

Former Portland Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard announced his retirement from professional basketball on Sunday, citing physical limitations as the deciding factor.

The 33-year-old last played in the NBA during the 2022-23 season, appearing in 11 games for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Leonard shared the news on Instagram, thanking fans, teammates, and coaches for their support throughout his career. As part of his announcement, he released a music video for his original country song, Good in Goodbye, which reflects on his journey in basketball and life.

The video features highlights from his playing days, including his tenure with the Trail Blazers.

Portland selected Leonard with the 11th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, five picks after taking Damian Lillard. He spent seven seasons with the Blazers from 2012 to 2019, averaging 5.6 points and 3.7 rebounds across 393 regular-season games.

His most notable performance came in his final game with the team, scoring 30 points in a season-ending loss to the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 Western Conference Finals.

Later that summer, Portland traded Leonard to the Miami Heat in a deal for center Hassan Whiteside. He played two seasons in Miami before sitting out a year and making a brief return with the Bucks.

While Leonard’s on-court career has come to an end, his farewell message and song suggest he is ready to embrace the next chapter of his life beyond basketball.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ