Former NBA center Hassan Whiteside is retiring from basketball, according to his current team, Piratas de Quebradillas, which competes in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN), the top-flight of Puerto Rico basketball.
"Hassan Whiteside informed the management of Piratas de Quebradillas of his intention to retire from basketball. That's why he won't be back with the franchise," according to Instagram page El Vacilon del BSN.
Whiteside played for Piratas de Quebradillas for nearly a year, signing with the team in March 2023.
The 34-year-old's most recent NBA tenure was during the 2021-22 season with the Utah Jazz, where he played a vital role as a reliable backup to star center Rudy Gobert. During this season, Whiteside posted respectable averages of 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 65 games.
Standing at an imposing 7 feet tall, Whiteside leaves behind a career with averages of 12.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks.
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Hassan Whiteside Career Highlights
Whiteside entered the NBA when he was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft, being the 33rd overall pick.
However, his initial stint with the Kings was limited, playing only one game in his rookie year for a brief two-minute appearance. Subsequently, in his sophomore year, he saw more action, participating in 18 games.
During this period, Whiteside also had stints with the Kings' D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, before being waived in July 2012.
Whiteside spent the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons outside of the NBA, playing for various NBA D-League teams and gaining experience overseas competing in Lebanon and China.
Following impressive showings overseas, Whiteside garnered the attention of the Miami Heat, who signed him ahead of the 2014-15 NBA season. Whiteside established himself as a formidable NBA player during his time with the Heat.
His breakthrough came in the 2015-16 season, averaging 14.2 points and 11.8 rebounds. Notably, he led the league in blocks with an astonishing 3.7 blocks per game.
As recognition for his outstanding defensive contributions, Whiteside was honored with a place in the All-NBA Defensive Second Team for that season.
Whiteside signed a four-year max contract with the Heat worth $98 million in the summer of 2016. However, his production dipped after inking the lucrative deal.
In the summer of 2019, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, leading the league in rejections for the second time in his career in 2019-20, averaging 2.9 blocks per contest.
He returned to the Kings on a one-year deal in 2020-21, playing in 36 games before moving to Utah in 2021-22.
Hassan Whiteside Career Earnings
During his 11-season NBA career, Whiteside earned $105,390,288 in salary over his stints with the Kings (2), Heat, Blazers, and Jazz, per HoopsHype.
His single-season career-high earnings was during the 2019-20 season with Portland, where he earned $27,093,018.
Meanwhile, his most recent tenure with the Jazz paid him $2,401,537.
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