Nazr Mohammed has carved out a role for himself in the NBA as a role-playing big man. He comes off the bench to get rebounds and play defense. He’s good at what he does, which is why he’s been in the league for 17 seasons. After 17 long years, Mohammed is contemplating retirement.
Mohammed announced his thoughts on his blog, nazrmohammed.sportsblog.com.
From the blog post, titled “A Great Problem To Have:”
I’m a free agent. After 17 seasons playing NBA basketball, I’m currently at a point where I’m trying to decide what I do next – continue playing basketball or pursue a post-playing career. There are a few factors in play that are making this decision kind of tough for me.
Years ago I decided that I was going to play until I couldn’t play anymore or until nobody else wanted me to play for them anymore – whichever came first. That way you know you have maximized your ability to compete as a professional athlete. And neither of those things has happened yet. It’s funny because I’ve found that over these last three or four years, so many times when I bump into a retired NBA player or even a guy who played overseas, they come up to me and say, “Hey, don’t stop playing. Keep playing until the wheels fall off!” I’ve even had a couple of coaches who are also former players tell me to keep playing; some have said they feel like they stopped playing a year or two too early. And I just don’t want to have that regret.
But while I love playing basketball, I am considering moving on and taking advantage of some of the opportunities that are coming my way in the business of basketball. One of my goals is to one day become a general manager of an NBA team, and there are opportunities presenting themselves that will allow me to take a step in that direction and get my foot in the door. There are only so many jobs in the business of basketball and there are a lot of people that want them. So part of this for me is a fear of missing a good opportunity to get into a business that I definitely have a lot of passion for. On the other hand, while these specific opportunities will no longer be available to me in a year (if I decide to continue to play), there’s always the chance of new opportunities arising. I have a lot of confidence in my ability, my work ethic and my knowledge of the game, which I know can benefit an organization one day. I’ve been fortunate enough to play for some of the best organizations and coaches in basketball. I started off playing for Coach Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith at Kentucky. When I came to the NBA, I played for Larry Brown and Lenny Wilkens. I won a Championship with Gregg Popovich. I played for Tom Thibodeau, who I respect. I’ve played for people who have taught me a lot about the game, and I’ve played for some great organizations that do things the right way. At one point it was tough playing for many different teams, but now it’s become a blessing because it’s forged me so many different relationships. My travels have also taught me some core values, which I think are necessary when building a good team and a great organization.
Mohammed also said that his body is still feeling great, which is surprising given that he’s played 17 consecutive years of professional basketball, and he’s quite a physical player.
If Mohammed wants to forego his 18th NBA season to chase other dreams, then good for him. His veteran presence will certainly be missed by the Bulls, but he should do what feels right, whether that be trying to become a GM or a broadcaster(Mohammed also said that he “caught the ‘broadcast bug'” after attending the NBPA’s program that helps players who want to go into broadcasting after retirement.
For his career, Mohammed has averaged 5.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
