Longtime NBA forward Taj Gibson announced his retirement on Monday. Gibson revealed his decision in a social media post thanking family, friends, coaches, teammates, and fans. The 41-year-old closed out his lengthy career by playing 10 games for the Memphis Grizzlies, his eighth different team.
"Today is a very emotional day for me," Gibson wrote. "After 17 seasons in the NBA, I can honestly say I gave this game everything I had." One of few remaining players from the 2009 NBA Draft class, Gibson averaged 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in 1,012 games. The former first-round pick spent eight seasons with the Chicago Bulls, where he made the All-Rookie team and narrowly finished second to Jamal Crawford in the 2013-14 Sixth Man of the Year voting.
After a brief stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Gibson started all 82 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017-18. He provided physical tenacity off the bench for five different teams (Knicks, Wizards, Pistons, Bulls, Grizzlies) in his last five seasons, "From Fort Greene Projects to USC, to the Chicago Bulls, and every team and city that came after, I’m grateful for every moment, every teammate, every coach, and every person who believed in me," Gibson said. "I wanted to be the guy my teammates could count on, someone who brought toughness, energy, leadership, and heart every time I stepped on the court." Gibson hinted at a new role, and he reportedly won't have to wait long to start a new career path.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Bulls are hiring Gibson as an assistant on new head coach Tiago Splitter's staff. "This isn’t goodbye to Basketball. It’s the beginning of a new chapter," Gibson said.
"After 31 years of basketball, I can walk away with no regrets, knowing I left everything on the floor. God has truly blessed me.
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