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$60M NBA All-Star Reveals Truth About Recent NBA Retirement Comments

This Chicago Bulls star is not thinking about retirement.
Joey Linn|
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) enters the building before the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at United Center.
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) enters the building before the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at United Center. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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During a recent interview with Meridian Sports (via HoopsHype), Chicago Bulls star Nikola Vucevic was asked how much longer he wants to play in the NBA.

“I’m aware that I’ve been in the NBA for 13 years, and that the end isn’t far away,” Vucevic said. “I don’t believe I’ll play another 13 years, but I have two more years with Chicago, and after that, I’d like to play two more.”

The two-time NBA All-Star added, “I think I can continue at a high level for that long, and after that, we’ll see. I’m not thinking much about it right now… I’d like people to remember me for who I was, for my achievements, and not for being past my prime. I want to be the one to say, ‘Thank you,’ when it’s time to go.”

Nikola Vucevic
Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) defends Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the first quarter at United Center. | David Banks-Imagn Images

Many interpreted this as Vucevic announcing he will play for just four more years, but in a new interview with NBA insider Marc Stein via Substack, the Bulls center revealed what he meant to say.

“I think that kind of came out wrong,” Vucevic said. “It wasn't that I want to play four more years. It was just more so that ... they were asking me, like, am I thinking about retirement? I was just like, 'Retiring?' In my mind I have at least four more years and then I want to see from there what I can do.”

Vucevic added, “But it came out as, like, I want to play four more years. I have two more years in this contract. And hopefully I'm able to get two more after that, which will take me to 37. And at that time, I'll have to see what I would like to do. This is more so four years of me being at a high level. Maybe in two years I'll say four more. I said it in the moment; I didn't think it'd turn into such a big thing.”

Not intending to state how much longer he plans to play, Vucevic clarified what he meant with those comments. With two years left on his three-year, $60M deal, Vucevic will assess things after that contract expires.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.

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