Former 3rd Overall Pick Announces Surprising NBA Retirement

Otto Porter Jr., the versatile forward with a career spanning over a decade across five NBA teams, has decided to retire, as confirmed by a Jazz press release. This announcement came shortly after he was waived by the team earlier in the day.

“For the past 11 years, I had the chance to live my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA,” he said in a statement. “That dream was capped by winning an NBA Championship! Unfortunately, my body is not allowing me to play at the level that I expect of myself, and I have therefore decided to retire.”

Porter’s NBA journey included stints with the Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Golden State Warriors, and Toronto Raptors. Highlighting his career was a championship win with the Warriors during the 2021-22 season.

Drafted third overall in 2013, Porter was known for his 3-and-D capabilities. Despite battling injuries that limited his play in recent years, he contributed significantly to the teams he played for, especially during his healthy season with Golden State, which culminated in an NBA Championship.

After signing with Toronto in the offseason following his championship win, Porter was later traded to Utah in a deal involving Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji. However, Porter never suited up for the Jazz before deciding to end his professional basketball career.

Porter’s retirement marks the end of a journey that saw him overcome injuries to achieve his dream of winning an NBA title, accomplishing what he set out to achieve amid high career expectations.