Former Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum has called it a career.
Batum announced his retirement on Sept. 21 after 18 NBA seasons, ending a run that included two stints with the Clippers and a late-career revival in Los Angeles. The 37-year-old finished the 2025-26 season with LA before becoming a free agent this summer.
In his lengthy farewell, Batum singled out Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank and owner Steve Ballmer for giving him an opportunity at a moment when his NBA future looked uncertain.
“Thank you for giving me a chance four years ago when it was very, very bad,” Batum said. “You helped me extend my career.”
For the Clippers, that might be the defining sentence of Batum’s farewell.
Nicolas Batum Revived His Career With the Clippers
Batum arrived in Los Angeles in 2020 following the end of a difficult tenure with the Charlotte Hornets.
It proved to be a reset.
The veteran forward averaged 8.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in his first Clippers season while shooting 40% from the field. More importantly, he became a trusted piece for Tyronn Lue because of his defensive versatility, passing and willingness to play without needing the ball.
That Clippers team reached the 2021 Western Conference finals, the first conference finals appearance in franchise history. Phoenix eventually won the series in six games.
Batum stuck.
Outside of a brief stop with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2023-24 season, Los Angeles became his NBA home for the rest of his career.
That context gives his retirement message more weight. The Clippers did not simply employ Batum near the end of his career. They helped give him another one.
Batum Still Had a Role at 37
Batum’s final season did not look like a ceremonial lap.
He appeared in 74 games for the Clippers in 2025-26, averaging 17.5 minutes per game. His scoring dropped to 4.0 points per night, but he shot 40.4% from 3-point range on 3.1 attempts per game.
For a veteran role player, that was still functional NBA production.
The Clippers ultimately declined Batum’s team option for the 2026-27 season, sending him into free agency. Rather than pursue another stop, Batum decided that 18 NBA seasons were enough.
He explained that decision while sitting with his son in the gym in Pont-l’Évêque, France, where his basketball life began.
Batum said he wanted to spend more time with his family and “leave room for others.” He also made clear that he does not expect to leave basketball completely, even if he has not decided what his next role will be.
Batum’s Farewell Included Steve Ballmer, Lawrence Frank
Batum thanked each NBA stop during his retirement address, but his words about Los Angeles carried a different tone.
He specifically named Frank and Ballmer and credited the Clippers with believing in him when his career had reached a low point.
“Thank you for believing in me the last four years,” Batum said.
It was actually longer than four years once his two Clippers stints were combined, but the point was unmistakable.
Batum came to Los Angeles looking like a player nearing the end.
Instead, he became one of Lue’s dependable veterans, played into his late 30s and finished his career wearing a Clippers uniform.
That is a fairly convincing definition of a second act.
Ex-Clippers Fan Favorite Nicolas Batum Announces Career News