Former No. 1 pick Kenyon Martin announces his retirement

Former No. 1 draft pick Kenyon Martin announced his retirement from professional basketball.

Former No. 1 draft pick Kenyon Martin announced his retirement from professional basketball to Yahoo! Sports on Thursday. 

Martin was selected No. 1 by the then-New Jersey Nets back in 2000. He went on to have a 15-year NBA career that spanned five different teams.

The 37-year-old most recently played for the Milwaukee Bucks, appearing in 11 games and logging 104 minutes in 2014–15. 

“It's been a great 15 years,” Martin told Yahoo! Sports. “Thanks to all the fans that supported me over the years. But a time does come when you have to walk away, and the time is now for me. I'm ready for the next chapter of my life. I would like to thank the Nets, Nuggets, Clippers, Knicks and Bucks for the opportunity to play the game that I love.”

• SI VAULT: Kenyon Martin is taking his game and Cincinnati to new heights

Martin helped the Nets reach two straight NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. His best year came in 2003–04, when he averaged career highs of 16.7 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 48.8% from the field.

After four years with the Nets he was traded to the Denver Nuggets, where he spent the next seven seasons. After averaging 11.5 points and 9.4 rebounds for Denver in 2009–10, Martin did not reach double figures in scoring again, nor did he play in 50 games in a season again. 

• WINN: Nike vs. adidas: The saga of Euro star Dragan Bender

Martin told Yahoo that he would consider something in coaching in the future “if something comes up.”

GALLERY: NBA's No. 1 draft picks in the lottery era

The NBA's No. 1 Draft Picks in the Lottery Era

1985: Patrick Ewing

New York Knicks

1986: Brad Daugherty

Cleveland Cavaliers

1987: David Robinson

San Antonio Spurs

1988: Danny Manning

Los Angeles Clippers

1989: Pervis Ellison

Sacramento Kings

1990: Derrick Coleman

New Jersey Nets

1991: Larry Johnson

Charlotte Hornets

1992: Shaquille O'Neal

Orlando Magic

1993: Chris Webber

Orlando Magic

1994: Glenn Robinson

Milwaukee Bucks

1995: Joe Smith

Golden State Warriors

1996: Allen Iverson

Philadelphia 76ers

1997: Tim Duncan

San Antonio Spurs

1998: Michael Olowokandi

Milwaukee Bucks

1999: Elton Brand

Chicago Bulls

2000: Kenyon Martin

New Jersey Nets

2001: Kwame Brown

Washington Wizards

2002: Yao Ming

Houston Rockets

2003: LeBron James

Cleveland Cavaliers

2004: Dwight Howard

Orlando Magic

2005: Andrew Bogut

Milwaukee Bucks

2006: Andrea Bargnani

Toronto Raptors

2007: Greg Oden

Portland Trail Blazers

2008: Derrick Rose

Chicago Bulls

2009: Blake Griffin

Los Angeles Clippers

2010: John Wall

Washington Wizards

2011: Kyrie Irving

Cleveland Cavaliers

2012: Anthony Davis

New Orleans Hornets

2013: Anthony Bennett

Cleveland Cavaliers

2014: Andrew Wiggins

Cleveland Cavaliers

2015: Karl-Anthony Towns

Minnesota Timberwolves

- Molly Geary