NBA great, who played for 11 years, officially announces his retirement

After 11 seasons in the NBA, basketball great Mike Muscala has retired, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. According to Muscala’s father, Bob, the 2013 NBA second-round pick “plans to attend graduate school and earn a master’s degree in sports management, with the intention of going into basketball coaching and/or administration.”

Muscala began his NBA career with the Atlanta Hawks, where he spent the majority of his time in the league. In five seasons with the Hawks, Muscala averaged 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. The Minnesota native also spent time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons and, most recently, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Over his career, Muscala has averaged 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. He has also shot 45.1 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from three-point range.

NBA great, who played for 11 years, officially announces his retirement

Mike Muscala will ‘always be a Thunder fan’

Although he played for seven NBA teams, Muscala seemed to enjoy his time in Oklahoma City the most. Muscala played parts of five seasons with the Thunder over two stints. With the Thunder, Muscala played alongside players Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Al Horford and Gordon Hayward. After his final stint with the Thunder, the former Bucknell player spoke about how important his time with the team was to him.

Mike Muscala on his time with the Thunder: “It means a lot to me. I’ve been through a lot in my life while I’ve been here. The city and the fans, the way they support the team… I’ll always be a Thunder fan, no matter what. I’ll be a fan for life.”

With the Thunder, Muscala played in 184 games, averaging 6.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Former Detroit Pistons coach praises Mike Muscala

Despite only playing 13 games for the team last season, Muscala left an impression on then-Pistons head coach Monty Williams. The Pistons acquired Muscala in a trade during the 2023-24 season. And while he didn’t stay in Detroit for very long, Williams spoke highly of Muscala’s adaptability.

“He’s one of those guys that can figure things out. He’s smart. He knows when to dive, when to jump. He knows how to connect both ends of the floor. I don’t think it’s anything we’ve done. That’s just who Mike is, he can play with anybody.”

Additionally, Williams praised Muscala, as well as Danilo Gallinari, who was also included in the trade, for his craftsmanship and character.

“If you look at the young teams in the league, what they’ve done is surround their players with experienced, skilled players who can still play. Anytime you can do that with high-quality players like Mike and Gallo, it’s going to be an advantage for your team.”

The Last Word on Mike Muscala

During his NBA career, Muscala built a solid reputation in the locker room and could provide solid minutes on the court. Additionally, he seemed to be admired by his former teammates and coaches. For a second-round pick, Muscala has built a solid NBA career.