One of the hardest decisions for a professional athlete is to close the chapter on their career. The majority of them spend most of their lives consumed by their sport. Retirement can come as bittersweet, especially for those who don’t hold the status of a superstar.
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Whenever fans think of an NBA player retiring, a farewell tour comes to mind. Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s final season resulted in love from opposing fans, bidding goodbye to one of the greats.
Luckily for Dwyane Wade, he was one of the few to receive a farewell tour back in 2019. It was a memorable one for him as he entertained many fans in Chicago, San Antonio, Detroit, Charlotte, Dallas and of course, Miami.
Unfortunately, not every player has the privilege to experience that. Some don’t even get the opportunity to choose when they will step away from the game.
In fact, Shaquille O’Neal commented on the same and wished that he had received the same treatment as his former teammate when he called it a day from the sport.
“I’m jealous right now. I wanted the whole farewell tour. I remember watching Kareem’s and Magic’s and Bird’s farewell tour,” Shaq said back then in an interview with Sun-Sentinel.
“Every great, historic player deserves one. D-Wade is a historic player. I’m happy for him that he can have this farewell tour, especially here in Wade County.”
Regardless, all the hype and celebrations did not make Wade naive to the reality of retirement in the NBA.
“Everybody doesn’t get to announce their retirement,” Wade said on his Time Out podcast recently. “That ain’t how this game goes. You just don’t get the call back.”
Plenty of players believe they still have what it takes to contribute at the highest level. Dwight Howard has felt that way since his last NBA season (2021-22). He even pleaded on social media for teams to give him a chance before ultimately retiring.
Unfortunately, he is one of the many players who didn’t receive a call back. As a result, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year didn’t get to retire on his own accord.
Wade’s co-host, Chris Johnson, spoke in detail regarding the reality of the situation for players such as Howard.
“Most people don’t get retirement parties, and they don’t get an opportunity to say goodbye to the game. No last dance,” Johnson said.
For many players, this could take a serious toll on their mental health. Johnson believes the only solution is to “focus on the moment.” Of course, that is easier said than done.
It’s much more difficult to be in Paul Pierce’s shoes when Draymond Green tells him that fans don’t care about him enough to grant him a farewell tour. But Pierce didn’t let those words consume him.
Despite not playing much of his final season, he had moments that will last a lifetime. One of those was connecting on a three-pointer at the TD Garden against the Boston Celtics, where his career began. He made the most out of his situation.
It’s unlikely that these concerns will change anytime soon, with many players potentially walking down the path highlighted by Wade and Johnson.
