Tristan Thompson will not be making a comeback to the NBA after missing the 2025-26 season. He has confirmed that he has officially retired.
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The former NBA champion provided the update during a sitdown with ex Khloe Kardashian on her podcast. He confirmed that he is done with basketball, and he provided some comments about how his life has changed.
"Honestly, it's been great," Tristan he said. "I always tell people it feels like I'm a rookie again."
Thompson continued and said that he had to figure out how to pivot after walking away from the NBA. He did not follow the traditional path taken by other players. Instead, he invested his time in artificial intelligence and technology.
He explained that he didn't want to wait several years before moving to the next chapter in his life. Instead, he would just get after it.
"The toughest thing for anyone, but for athletes, is figuring out what's next," he said. "For athletes, the easiest transition is going into sports broadcasting because it's a way that you can still stay part of the game and just talk about what you love."
The fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Thompson kicked off his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He spent nine seasons in Ohio while twice leading the league in games played (2012-13, 2015-16). He averaged 6.7 points and 9.0 rebounds during the playoffs in 2015-16 as he helped the Cavaliers win the NBA title.
Thompson spent the 2020-21 season with the Boston Celtics, and then he split the 2021-22 season between three teams. He suited up for the Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and Sacramento Spurs.
The veteran player missed the 2022-23 season, but he returned in 2023-24 for a reunion with the Cavaliers. He spent the final two seasons back with the team that drafted him, and he made two more playoff appearances. Though he fell short of another NBA title.
