By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
Australian international and three-time EuroLeague champion David Andersen announced his retirement from professional basketball on Wednesday.
“It’s been a very long and illustrious journey and career. I’ve had a great time, many adventures in many parts of the world, enjoyed every step of the way and enjoyed all the relationships along the way. I’d love to thank my family, brothers, sisters, parents, wife and everyone that supported me along the years. To all my friends that traveled around the world to watch me play certain games, and then obviously to the fans, that’s why we play the game. It’s been a hell of a journey. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it”, said Andersen upon announcing his retirement.
He will now pursue a new role as a Player Liaison and Special Projects in the Australian League, where he finished his career as a champ with Melbourne United in 2021.
“The NBL is one of the best leagues in the world and is home to some of the globe’s best basketball players. Playing conditions in the NBL are already at a world-class level and I hope my experience and insight from a player’s perspective will make the NBL even more enticing for other players, whether local or from abroad”, he said about his new role.
Andersen, 41, began his professional career with Frankston Blues in his native, Melbourne in 1995 before his career took off in the EuroLeague and NBA with the turn of the century.
He reached the pinnacle of European basketball for the first time in 2001 with Kinder Bologna and won two more EuroLeague titles with CSKA Moscow in 2006 and 2008.
Andersen was selected in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks but made his NBA debut long after, in the 2009-10 season with the Houston Rockets.
After stints in Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Hornets, Anderson returned to Europe for Montepaschi Siena in 2011 and since he has also played for Fenerbahce, SIG Strasbourg and ASVEL.
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