Tiago Splitter announces retirement from basketball

Tiago Splitter is calling it a career after seven NBA seasons.

The 33-year-old big man announced his retirement from basketball in an interview with SporTV during All-Star weekend.

"I am going to stop playing. It's a decision I've made these past few months," said Splitter. "It's not something I want, but the hip injury I've been having is more troublesome than we thought.

"It's a difficult time because you stop doing something you've done a lifetime. I remember being on a basketball court as long as I remember. I talked to my family, my wife, everyone, and really, it's time to hang up the sneakers."

Splitter played for three different organizations, with his most prominent run coming with the San Antonio Spurs from 2010 to 2015 after going 28th overall in the 2007 draft.

With the Spurs, he became the first Brazilian player to win an NBA championship in 2014.

Splitter was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in 2015, and played eight games with the Philadelphia 76ers the following year.

Multiple calf injuries, paired with his hip ailment, derailed his career as a prominent backup center. Across 355 games, he averaged 7.9 points, five rebounds, and 0.6 rejections in 19.2 minutes.

- With h/t to FanRag Sports