Former Chicago Bulls player Otto Porter Jr. has unexpectedly announced his retirement from professional basketball, marking an end to his 11-year NBA career.
Otto Porter Jr. made his retirement intentions clear in a press release issued by the Utah Jazz shortly after being released from their roster. In his statement, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA, which included winning an NBA Championship. However, due to physical limitations preventing him from performing at his expected level, he has decided to retire.
Selected as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Porter Jr. played for four other teams besides the Bulls during his career. Across 527 regular season games, he maintained averages of 10.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals, shooting 47.7 percent from the field.
During his tenure with the Bulls, which began when he was traded from the Washington Wizards in the middle of the 2018-19 season, Porter Jr. played for two seasons while representing the Chicago franchise. Despite initial expectations of being a cornerstone in the team’s rebuilding efforts, he struggled with injuries and only managed to participate in 54 regular season games from 2019 to 2021.
Despite his injury challenges, Porter Jr. achieved his best statistical performance with the Bulls, averaging 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game during his time with the team.
