By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Jose Calderon announced his retirement, but will keep offering his services to basketball as the Special Assistant to the NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts, per AP.
The 38-year-old Spaniard point guard ended his two-decade playing career he launched back in 1998. He moved to the NBA in 2005 and since competed in 935 games including 40 playoffs tilts.
Following Tau Ceramica and his 58 EuroLeague appearances between 2002 and 2005, Calderon went from eight straight seasons with the Toronto Raptors to shorter stints with the Detroit Pistons, the Dallas Mavericks, the New York Knicks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Throughout his NBA tenure, he posted 8.9 points, 5.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds per regular season contest making 87.3% of his free throw and 47.2% of his field goal attempts. In the playoffs, the Spaniard had 6.5 points, 3.1 assists and 1.4 rebounds per game with an impressive overall average of 92.9% from the free-throw line.
Aside establishing himself in the NBA, the steady-handed point guard represented Spain winning medals in junior competitions before capturing three Olympic medals, one World Cup gold medal and four more EuroBasket medals including one gold. His last appearance with La Roja came in the 2016 Olympic games.
A successful career at every level will be followed by him joining the NBA Players Association.
The past few months he was mulling retirement provided he couldn’t secure a contract from an NBA team, also expressed his preference on remaining in USA for his kids.