Shareef Abdur-Rahim Retires

SACRAMENTO, CA, September 22, 2008 ---- Sacramento Kings’ forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim today announced his retirement from the NBA as a player due to a reoccurring knee injury.

“First of all, on behalf of the entire organization I want to thank Shareef for his contribution to the Kings and NBA both on and off the court,” said Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. “He has had an exemplary career as a player and citizen. It is unfortunate for any productive career to be felled by injury. However, no one can ever doubt Shareef’s effort, commitment or desire to excel. It is our intention to find a new role for Shareef with the organization as he begins the next phase of his professional life.”

Abdur-Rahim enjoyed 12 seasons in the NBA with four different teams (Vancouver 1996-97 to 2000-01, Atlanta 2001-02 to 2003-04, Portland 2003-04 to 2004-05 and Sacramento 2005-06 to 2007-08), amassing career averages of 18.1 points (.452 FGs, .297 3FGs, .810 FTs), 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game through 830 outings. His most productive season, statistically, occurred during the 1998-99 campaign in Vancouver when he averaged 23.0 points (.432 FGs, .306 3FGs, .841 FTs), 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game through 50 contests (NBA Lockout season). The following season (1999-00), Abdur-Rahim averaged double figures in both points (20.3) and rebounds (10.1) per game, in which he played in all 82 contests for the Grizzlies.

“I’ve been in a situation where I’ve been trying to get healthy over the last year and a half,” explained Abdur-Rahim. “I came to grips with the fact that, health-wise, I won’t be able to get back to the condition and level that is needed to play in the NBA. My right knee has become arthritic over the years and is to the point where it won’t allow me do the things and play at the level in which I’m accustomed to playing. As tough as it is to come to grips with, it’s the reality.”

Abdur-Rahim was a member of the gold-medal winning United States Olympic team in 2000 while still with the Vancouver Grizzlies. He was selected to the Eastern Conference NBA All-Star Team where he scored nine points in 21 minutes as a member of the Atlanta Hawks in 2002.

“Regarding my career, I’ve been really blessed and fortunate,” said Abdur-Rahim. “I’m thankful that I had basketball and was able to play in the NBA. There aren’t a lot of people who actually get to do what they grow up dreaming about doing. I’ve had that opportunity and I’m really thankful for that. I’m also thankful for the coaches, trainers, owners, front office people and friends I’ve made through my time in the NBA. It was a tough decision, but in no way am I bitter. I’m just really thankful and happy that I was given the opportunity to play in the NBA.”

On December 28, 2002, Abdur-Rahim became the sixth-youngest player in NBA history to reach the 10,000-point plateau when he scored 18 points at Washington at age 26, trailing only Kobe Bryant, Bob McAdoo, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with that distinction. He scored a career-high 50 points (including a career-high 21 field goals made) versus Detroit on November 23, 2001, becoming the first Hawks player to hit that mark since Dominique Wilkins poured in 52 points in 1991.

Selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies (now Memphis) as an undergraduate out of California with the third pick of the 1996 NBA Draft, Abdur-Rahim has a long-standing history of community service involvement. He was named by The Sporting News as the NBA’s Number 1 Good Guy for 2004 after funding the Reef House in Atlanta through his Atlanta-based Future Foundation with the purpose of assisting at-risk and underprivileged youth.


SOURCE: http://www.nba.com/kings/news/AbdurRahim_Retires.html

Yikes. Only 31 years old. Good news for Kings fans though, getting him off the payroll. He never will win a playoff series.

I don't think he's ever been on a winning team, but yes, I do agree that he's blessed to have played in the NBA regardless.

so much potential lost. in hindsight, coming out after his freshman year maybe hurt him a little (and being drafted to the Grizz). a couple more years at Cal, who knows maybe things wouldve been different.

On December 28, 2002, Abdur-Rahim became the sixth-youngest player in NBA history to reach the 10,000-point plateau when he scored 18 points at Washington at age 26, trailing only Kobe Bryant, Bob McAdoo, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with that distinction. He scored a career-high 50 points (including a career-high 21 field goals made) versus Detroit on November 23, 2001, becoming the first Hawks player to hit that mark since Dominique Wilkins poured in 52 points in 1991.

he sure had his highlights... too bad he had to cut his career short because of injuries...

When he got drafted and I watched him play a couple years...I had high hopes for him. He never seemed to play with all his heart though..reminds me of vince carter. Him being easily injured on that episode of martin lawrence's sitcom all those years ago...how ironic. Oh well...this makes room for guys who really want to be in the NBA I guess.

Maybe in two or three years the Kings will use him to make a trade work.

I once saw a documentary on him how he claimed to be discriminated against and ignored after he refused to stand for the national anthem.

You mean this guy?


Chris Jackson != Shareef Abdur-Rahim

Unless I missed something.

oh yea. thats him. was on documentary channel. showed how he got lesser playing time and importance even though he was the most effective player per minute in the league.

i remember reef not eating for the day and playing. obviously he seemed like a religious type of guy to me. well... suxed he has to retire so early. as soon as he left grizzlies, his career was on downhill for some reason. for once, i thought he could have become a better player than odom was.

yeah, like hakeem olajuwon. in their religion they have days where they are not allowed to eat, and they still go to the court and give all their best to play...

Sad stuff, without injury he could have been quite a dominating player, he could do lots of things on the court. That sucks when talented players like that have to call it quits because of injuries.

Too bad, if only he had stayed in college a bit longer or maybe got drafted by someone other than Vancouver.

Why is it that 3 former starters for the Vancouver grizzlies have retired early. Michael Dickerson, Bryant Reeves and now Abdur-Rahim. They must have had some funky medical program back then.

The guy of the photo is Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf or i'm wrong?



I think Vancouver was a jinx of stars... The big three of that time are now retired cause of injuries.


Sad to see him retire without winning a playoff series

The guy of the photo is Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf or i'm wrong?

you are not wrong. Chris Jackson changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

I remember RealGM posting an article in the Wiretap hinting that he was leaning towards retirement due to his various injuries a few weeks back, looks like his mind is made up. With his career drawing to a close, I believe he's officially taken the record from Popeye Jones for most career games without playing in the postseason. Still, he played 12 years in the league and spent half of them as a 20 ppg scorer. I'd say he had a decent, if unspectacular career.

Actually Andrew, im pretty sure he played in the 2006 playoffs in the Kings-Spurs series. He played 6 games and averaged 9.2 ppg with 4.8 rpg.

He should have tanked the last few games of that season, so he could be remembered for something.

Actually Andrew, im pretty sure he played in the 2006 playoffs in the Kings-Spurs series. He played 6 games and averaged 9.2 ppg with 4.8 rpg.

You're right, which goes to show you how sloppily I researched that and how my memory is failing me. Well, at the very least I believe he may have played the most games before finally playing in the postseason. I guess Popeye Jones still has the other dubious honour.

Well, at the very least I believe he may have played the most games before finally playing in the postseason. I guess Popeye Jones still has the other dubious honour.

Thats what I thought you might have originally meant.
I only remember being a Spurs fan and watching that series.

Shareef was an extremely good 'role' player but he could never be a number 1 go to guy I thought. Still a sad way to see him go, its never nice to see an athlete hampered down by injuries.

I think he was decent enough as a number one option, he just wasn't in many favourable situations during that period of his career.

Now they're making him assistant coach for the Kings. Wonder how this will turn out...
Source

I'm not sure it'll have a huge impact but good for him. Perhaps he'll even attempt a comeback if he's feeling fitter later in the season and the Kings find themselves depleted.