Former Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston has called it a career in the NBA, making the news known Friday via posts on social media.
After 15 years in the NBA, I’m excited, sad, fortunate and grateful all in one breath. Hard to put into a caption all of the emotions it takes to try and accomplish your dreams. I wasn’t supposed to be here. Anybody… https://t.co/Qj8f3M72B1
— Shaun Livingston (@ShaunLivingston) September 13, 2019
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2W0HYllm6O/?igshid
In his Instagram post, Livingston wrote the following: “After 15 years in the NBA, I’m excited, sad, fortunate and grateful all in one breath. Hard to put into a caption all of the emotions it takes to try and accomplish your dreams. I wasn’t supposed to be here. Anybody that has beat the odds understands the mental and emotional strain it takes to inspire yourself on an uphill war, let alone inspire others.
” ‘The injury’ gave me a chance to find and prove to myself (and the world) that I wouldn’t be defined by my circumstances. With my time in the League what I will be most proud of is the fact that my character, values and faith were tested, and I persevered.”
In a statement, Warriors GM Bob Myers said the following: “Shaun Livingston’s story is one of the most inspirational in the history of professional sports. What he accomplished after suffering so many trials and tribulations early in his career is a true testament to who he is as a person, which has always been characterized by tremendous class, grace and professionalism. He represents everything that you’d want in a professional athlete and, most importantly, in a human being. We appreciate what he did for our team and organization over the last five years, becoming a three-time NBA champion and a key figure on one of the best teams in NBA history. We wish him well as he begins the next phase in his life.”
Livingston won three championships with the Warriors and played 15 seasons in the NBA after being the No. 4 overall pick of the 2004 draft by the LA Clippers. His career was marked by his valuable backup role with the Warriors as well as a gruesome knee injury he suffered in the 2006-07 season against the Charlotte Hornets.
It took Livingston nearly two years to return to an NBA court, but he did, playing four games for the Miami Heat in the 2008-09 season. From there, he became a valuable backup guard, spending time with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09), Washington Wizards (2009-10), Charlotte Bobcats (2010-11), Milwaukee Bucks (2011-12), Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers (2012-13) before signing with Golden State in the summer of 2014.
He is just the second player in NBA history to complete a tenure of at least five seasons with a team having made an NBA Finals appearance in each season, joining Tom Heinsohn, who did so in all nine of his seasons with the Boston Celtics from 1956-65.
In his career, Livingston averaged 6.3 points, 3 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game over 833 career games. He was waived by the Warriors in early July.
