On Sunday, former Wisconsin player and eight-year NBA veteran Jon Leuer announced on social media that he was retiring form professional basketball.
Leuer, who was the 40th overall pick (second round) in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, played as well with Cleveland, Memphis, Phoenix, and Detroit.
Leuer was brought back to Milwaukee in a trade this past offseason that shipped out Kevin Porter, Jr. and Tony Snell, and was waived via the stretch provision shortly after. Leuer never appeared in a game for the Bucks in the 2019-20 season, his last action being with Detroit in 41 games in 2018-19.
On his social media accounts, Leuer writes:
I love the game of basketball. I still want to play, but I know deep down it’s not the right decision for my health anymore. The past 3 years I’ve dealt with a number of injuries, including 2 that kept me out this whole season. It’s taken me a while to come to grips with this, but I’m truly at peace with my decision to officially retire.
As disappointing as these injuries have been, I’m still thankful for every moment I spent playing the game. Basketball has been the most amazing journey of my life. It’s taken me places I only could’ve dreamed about as a kid. The relationships it brought me mean more than anything. I’ve been able to connect with people from all walks of life and forged lifelong bonds with many of them. What this game has brought me stretches way beyond basketball. I’m grateful for this incredible ride and everyone who helped me along the way.
In college, Leuer averaged 11.2 points per game in 123 career games with the Badgers, including 18.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest with 37% three-point shooting his senior year.
As an NBA Player, Leuer shot 32.8% from deep and averaged 6.4 points per game in 377 career games, including 80 starts and 46 games in Milwaukee.
Stats: Basketball-Reference.com
Photo: Getty Images