The last year! 36-year-old Batum plans to retire after playing next season: he will compete in the NBA for 18 seasons in total

On May 20, Clippers player Batum revealed in an interview with BeinSports that he plans to officially retire after playing the 2025-26 season and end his NBA career. Batum is 36 years old and the 2025-26 season will be his 18th season in the NBA.

"The next season is most likely my last season," Batum said on the show. Batum is expected to continue playing for the Clippers next season, fulfilling his two-year contract with the team in the 2024 free agent market. In the 2025-26 season, Batum has a player option worth $4.9 million.

In the regular season of this season, Batum played 78 games, averaging 17.5 minutes per game, contributing 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds. His playing time increased in the playoffs, averaging 24.6 minutes per game, and his data increased to 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds.

Batum was called "French Pippen" by fans. He was selected by the Rockets with the 25th pick in the first round at the 2008 draft and was then sent to the Trail Blazers in a three-party deal. So far in his career, Batum has played for four teams, namely the Trail Blazers, Hornets, 76ers and Clippers. So far in his career, Batum has played in 1,131 regular season games, averaging 10 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.

A year ago, Batum completed the curtain call of the French national team in the Olympic final - the French men's basketball team finally lost to the United States 78-98.

Batum has not won any dazzling honors in his NBA career, but he has gained a lot in the international arena, winning a total of 7 medals. In addition to winning the silver medal at the Paris Olympics, he also won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, won bronze medals twice in the 2014 and 2019 World Cups, and won the European Cup in 2013. In addition, his honor book also includes the 2011 European Cup silver medal and the 2015 European Cup bronze medal.