While it was quickly overshadowed a couple days later by a flurry of free agent deals and trade agreements, Darren Collison‘s decision to announce his retirement in June at age 31 was one of the most surprising developments of the NBA offseason.
Nearly three months after announcing that decision, Collison spoke to Mark Montieth of Pacers.com about his unexpected retirement, admitting that he’ll miss the annual tradition of reporting to training camp for a new season.
“I didn’t think I would retire after 10 years,” Collison said. “I thought I would play for a very long time. I still want to. It’s my heart and passion.”
However, as Montieth writes, Collison’s desire to move onto a new phase of his life – which involves devoting more time to his Jehovah’s Witness ministry and spending more time with his family – trumped his desire to continue his NBA career. According to Montieth, Collison is also working with Pro’s Vision, a training company that works primarily with young athletes.
“I can’t stress enough that basketball isn’t everything,” Collison said. “Athletes think making the NBA is a success story, but a success story is being able to provide for yourself and your family. There are a lot of things you can do to become successful.”
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