Veteran big man announces retirement from NBA

Veteran big man Mike Muscala is ending his playing career. He told Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman that he plans to retire.

Muscala’s father, Bob, informed Lorenzi that Mike plans to pursue a graduate degree in sports management. He hopes to continue his basketball career in coaching and/or management.

The No. 44 overall pick of the 2013 draft, Muscala has spent the past 11 NBA seasons playing for the Hawks, Sixers, Lakers, Thunder, Celtics, Wizards and Pistons. He finished last season with Oklahoma City, the team with which he spent parts of five different seasons.

“It means a lot,” Muscala said of his time with the Thunder back in May. “I went through a lot in my life when I was here, just the city, the fans, the way that they support the team, what the team means to the community, those are things that I feel like I can relate to. 

“I’ll always be a Thunder fan no matter what happens in my life.”

Muscala, 33, spent the first five seasons with Atlanta. He was traded multiple times during the 2018-19 season before finding a home in Oklahoma City for a few years. He spent the past year-plus playing for four different teams — OKC, Boston, Washington, Detroit, and finally, OKC again. According to Lorenzi, Muscala said relocating so many times in a short period of time took its toll on him.

In 548 regular season contests, including 45 starts, the former Bucknell star averaged 5.9 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 15.0 MPG. The 6-foot-10 center/forward was known mostly for his outside shooting ability (.373% career from three-point range) and his positive locker-room presence.