Losing desire and fighting spirit! Revealing why 32-year-old Brogdon suddenly announced retirement, Knicks shocked

On October 16th Beijing time, 32-year-old Brogdon unexpectedly announced his retirement through ESPN. It is known that Brogdon had been considering retirement for some time. Besides the core guard Brunson, he was the Knicks' only true point guard option. He informed the team's management of his decision on the same day.A source disclosed that the Knicks were taken aback by this development.

Brogdon was originally expected to be included in the Knicks' roster for the new season. His retirement statement reads as follows—

“Today, I officially begin a new chapter beyond my basketball career. Over the past decades, I have proudly dedicated my mind, body, and passion to the sport of basketball. To reach my current achievements, I have made many sacrifices and also gained many rewards.

“I am grateful to have reached this point by my own choice and to now enjoy the fruits of my career with family and friends. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported me and stood by me throughout my basketball journey.”

After last week's Knicks practice, Brogdon spoke about the public’s perception of athletes: “I think people who have never experienced professional sports tend to criticize top athletes, but they don’t understand the hardships of this profession. They don’t realize the physical toll of maintaining elite performance for years; nor do they grasp how demanding this sport is on the body.”

“However, once you choose to be a professional player and sign a contract, you inevitably face various external opinions. As a player, you have to block out those distractions because those judgments don’t matter. Your focus must be on staying healthy, and once healthy, giving your all to dominate the game.”

Knicks reporter Bondy stated: “The toll of an NBA career is immense, both physically and mentally. I heard that Brogdon suddenly realized during training camp that he had lost some of his desire and fighting spirit.”

With Brogdon stepping away from competition, the Knicks may now only need to choose between Shamet and Matthews, both currently under serious consideration and likely to earn a roster spot for the regular season. However, if the Knicks want to keep both players, they will need to find other ways to reduce the team’s salary cap burden.

Last season, Brogdon appeared in 24 games for the Wizards, starting 13 of them. In four preseason games with the Knicks, he played a total of 51 minutes, taking 17 shots and making 5, scoring 17 points overall.

During his career, Brogdon has played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers, and Washington Wizards. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year award in the 2016-17 season with the Bucks and was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in the 2022-23 season with the Celtics. Over his NBA career, he has averaged 15.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game. He was selected 36th overall in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft.