Danilo Gallinari, a former No. 6 pick who became one of Italy’s most accomplished NBA players, officially announced his retirement Tuesday at age 37.
The longtime forward shared the news on social media, posting a heartfelt tribute in Italian reflecting on his relationship with the game. Lines such as “I don’t remember when you really came into my life…” and “You’ll always be a part of me.” appeared in the accompanying video, while his Instagram message opened with “Today, with a heart full of gratitude, I am announcing my retirement from a career I’ve always dreamed of.”
Gallinari spent four professional seasons in Italy before entering the 2008 NBA Draft, where the New York Knicks selected him sixth overall. After a back-injury-marred rookie year, he broke out in 2009-10, and by the following season had become a key asset in the blockbuster deal that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York.
His best run came in Denver, where he developed into a reliable scorer and floor-spacer before tearing his ACL late in the 2012-13 season — an injury that sidelined him for the entire next year. Once healthy, he posted some of his highest scoring averages, including 19.5 points per game in 2015-16, and later recorded a career-best 19.8 with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2018-19.
Gallinari was again part of major roster movement in 2019, heading to Oklahoma City in the deal that delivered Paul George to the Clippers and brought Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Thunder. From there he made stops with Atlanta and San Antonio before signing with Boston in 2022, though he never suited up for the Celtics after suffering another ACL tear shortly after joining the team.
The veteran forward resurfaced during the 2023-24 season, appearing for Washington, Detroit, and Milwaukee after being included in a series of trades. He averaged 2.8 points in limited minutes with the Bucks before finishing his playing career last season in Puerto Rico, where he won Finals MVP with Vaqueros de Bayamón.
Across 16 NBA seasons with nine franchises, Gallinari logged 777 games (563 starts) and averaged 14.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Known for his shooting touch and versatility at 6-foot-10, he was considered an early example of the modern stretch-forward. From 2009-10 through 2019-20, he knocked down 1,179 threes — the third-most among players his size, trailing only Kevin Durant and Kevin Love.
Gallinari also played a prominent role for Italy’s national team, remaining involved as recently as this year’s FIBA EuroBasket competition. His 11,607 career NBA points stand as the highest total ever recorded by an Italian player.
Reflecting on his decades-long journey, he closed his message by thanking the people and experiences that shaped his career: “A career built through hard work, sacrifice, victories, defeats, teammates who became brothers… I’m beyond excited for the next chapter!”
Editorial credit: LiveMedia / Shutterstock.com