Tehran, Iran – Hamed Haddadi, the one Iranian to play within the National Basketball Association, retired from worldwide play on the age of 38 after his group was eradicated from the World Cup, state media reported.
The 2.18 meter (7-foot-2-inch) middle made the announcement late Saturday after Iran misplaced 81-73 to Lebanon in Jakarta to exit the World Cup after 5 consecutive losses, dashing hopes of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.
‘I’ve liked the nationwide group and basketball, however someday you need to go and at the moment is that day,’ state news company IRNA quoted Haddadi as saying.
‘It was a really troublesome determination, and I used to be hesitating till the final second, however I made a decision to say goodbye and ended my profession within the nationwide group after the match with Lebanon.’
FILE – Hamed Haddadi of Iran, second left, is seen in motion with Moustapha Fall of France on the Tokyo Olympics in Saitama, Japan, July 31, 2021.
Haddadi grew to become the primary and, but solely Iranian participant to hitch the NBA when he signed for the Memphis Grizzlies as an undrafted free agent.
Between 2008 and 2013 he appeared in 151 common season video games for Memphis and Phoenix. Haddadi averaged 2.2 factors per sport. He additionally made 13 post-season appearances for the Grizzlies.
Haddadi performed 27 minutes in opposition to Lebanon and scored 14 factors. He totaled 40 factors in his final World Cup look.
Since 2020 he has been taking part in for the Sichuan Blue Whales, which marks his fourth stint with the Chinese Basketball Association group.