Anthony Randolph was seen as someone that possessed oodles of potential when first joining the NBA. While he didn’t quite pan out after being selected 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2008 NBA Draft, he did go on to have a lengthy and successful career overseas.
Now 35 years old, the 6-foot-10 Randolph has decided to announce his retirement from the game he loves.
2008 Golden State Warriors Lottery Pick Announces Retirement
Anthony Randolph Announces Retirement From Basketball On Thursday
More than 17 years after he was drafted, Randolph announced his retirement via his social media. He wrote,
“After 15 incredible years, I’m officially stepping away from basketball.
Thank you to the fans who made every game special and believed in us through it all.
Basketball has given me more than I could have ever dreamed, shaping me both as a player and as a person. While this chapter comes to a close, I’m excited for what lies ahead and the new opportunities to continue growing and giving back.”
Before heading overseas, Randolph played six seasons in the NBA. Randolph was drafted in 2008 after just one year playing collegiately at LSU. During his tenure there, he was seen as a player who had an extremely high ceiling, but he never quite fully got it together there. As well as the Warriors, Randolph also played for the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets.
Randolph played in 252 career regular season games (43 starts) while in the NBA (also five playoff games with Denver in 2013). He posted career averages of 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks. He shot 45.3% from the field, 24.1% from beyond the arc, and 74.0% from the foul line.
Hia most productive season was his second one in the league in 2009-10 with Golden State. Randolph averaged double figures in scoring (11.6) in his 33 appearances that season. On March 24, 2011, as a member of the Timberwolves, Randolph scored a career-high 31 points in an outing against the Dallas Mavericks.
Succesful Career Overseas After NBA
While Randolph’s NBA career didn’t exactly go as planned, he certainly experienced much success while playing overseas. He played two seasons with Lokomotiv Kuban in Russia before playing seven seasons with powerhouse Real Madrid in Spain.
Both teams brought Randolph joy and success. Randolph was a part of two EuroLeague championship teams with Real Madrid in 2018 and 2023. After his first season with Lokomotiv Kuban, Randolph was named to the All-Euro Cup Second Team, and he was named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team after his second season with them.
Randolph was able to acquire his Slovenian passport, and thus was able to play for Slovenia in EuroBasket 2017. Slovenia was able to take home the championship in the tournament, and Randolph totaled 11 points and four rebounds in their 93-85 win over Serbia in the finals. Slovenia’s roster also featured Mavericks star guard Luka Doncic, who was just 18 years old at the time. Recently-retired Goran Dragic led the way in that game with 35 points.
Hopefully Anthony Randolph’s life post-retirement brings him as much joy as his time playing did.
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