He spent 14 seasons playing in the EuroLeague across four different clubs
Kyle Hines retires: The four-time EuroLeague champion calls it a day
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One of the most legendary players to ever grace the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has decided to hang up his sneakers. After 425 games, 3,339 points, 1,855 rebounds, 510 assists, 287 steals and 320 blocks, Kyle Hines has called time on his professional basketball career.
Kyle Hines's goodbye to basketball
"Today I officially announce my retirement from professional basketball. A career that started in 2008, I could have never imagined that basketball would have taken me this far. When I didn't get drafted, what I thought would be one of the biggest disappointments in my life turned out to be my biggest blessing... Coming to Europe gave me the opportunity to grow as a person, it allowed me to compete at the highest level. It allowed to become a competitor, a leader, and a champion. Off the court, it has given me the opportunity to travel the world, meet so many great people and share in some amazing moments that will last a lifetime.
"My journey has been nothing short but amazing. My dreams of playing professional basketball, while the individual and team accomplishments mean a lot, they weren't the reason I played the game. I played the game for the work, the love, and the opportunity to compete with my teammates every single day. My grandfather once told me: do the best you can be possible, do with the tools you have been given. That was my goal every day I stepped on the basketball court.
"Thank you to my wife, Gianna, for giving the love and support I needed to have a successful career. Thank you, Anya, Justin, and Cash for being my why every single day. My parents, my brother, and sister, thank you for your support no matter where I am in the world. I can always count on you guys to be there. To my Hines, Smith, and other extended family members, thank you for always holding it down and supporting from afar. To my Sickerville, Timber Creek and Team Hines family, thank you for pushing me to reach new levels and never be satisfied, gym all day!!! To my agent, Misko, thank you for believing in me and putting me in the best position possible to achieve my dreams. To Lance Young and the late George Dimitropoulos, both of whom had a great early impact on my career, thank you for teaching me the business early in my career.
"To my legendary coaches Trinchieri, Cancellieri, Chris Fleming, Duda Ivkovic, Coach Bartzokas, Itoudis and Messina, thank you for pushing me to become a better player but more importantly, a better human being. I learned so many life lessons from you all. To all the team strength coaches, trainers, physios and therapists, thank you for all the work behind the scenes, you guys are the real reason I was able to have a 16-year career. Thank you to my trainers who I work with during the off-season back home, thank you for giving me the tools to get better every single season. To my teammates, thank you for the opportunity to work with you all. We are more than teammates now, we are a brotherhood, my time with you all is what I'm going to miss the most.
"To Veroli Basket, Brose Bamberg, Olympiacos, CSKA Moscow, Olimpia and everyone that has worked or associated, thank you for trusting me to represent your clubs, it was an honor to wear your teams' uniforms. To Veroli, Brose, Olympiacos, CSKA Moscow and Olimpia basketball fans, thank you for all the love and support. You will have my heart forever.
"As I start the next chapter, I look forward to starting a new adventure with you all.
"All the best. 42."
A EuroLeague legend
The 37-year-old, who played for four clubs across a 14-season stretch in the EuroLeague, went out on a high, too, after lifting the Italian League championship with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday night. That is his third straight Italian League title, while he helped the team win the Italian Cup in 2020-21 and 2021-22, as well as the Italian Super Cup in 2019-20. The veteran big man was also a key factor in guiding Milan back to the EuroLeague Final Four in 2021, ending the club’s 29-year wait to return to European basketball’s showpiece event.
Hines made his EuroLeague debut with Brose Bamberg in 2010-11, then spent two seasons at Olympiacos Piraeus (2011-13), seven campaigns with CSKA Moscow (2013-20), and four years with Milan (2020-24). In that time, he became a EuroLeague champion on four occasions – in back-to-back years with Olympiacos in 2012 and 2013, before lifting the trophy in 2016 and 2019 with CSKA. Then, in 2020, Milan’s No. 42 was selected to the EuroLeague 2010–20 All-Decade Team.
Renowned for his play on the defensive end of the floor, Hines was chosen as the recipient of the EuroLeague Best Defender award three times – in 2015-16, 2017-18 and 2021-22 – and holds the all-time record for games played with 425 EuroLeague appearances. He ranks fifth in all-time minutes (8,789:32), 11th in points (3,339), second in two-pointers made (1,332), first in offensive rebounds (824), eighth in defensive boards (1,031), second overall in rebounding (1,855), 11th in steals (287), third in blocks (320) and fifth in accumulated PIR (4,299).
It is not just in the EuroLeague where Hines has left his mark on European basketball. Domestically, Hines has lifted 18 trophies during his illustrious career. While his EuroLeague start came with Bamberg in 2010-11, he spent the first two years of his professional career with Veroli in the Italian second tier. There, he twice won the Italian Second Division Cup (2008-09, 2009-10) before moving on to Bamberg, where he secured the German League, German Cup and German Super Cup titles. In Greece with Olympiacos, Hines was part of the team that won the 2011-12 Greek League title, then at CSKA he lifted six VTB League titles between 2014 and 2019. Now in Italy, Hines has three Italian League titles to his name, as well as two Italian Cup triumphs and one Italian Super Cup.
In addition to his play on the court, Hines has shown his compassionate side by being a positive force and active presence for Euroleague Basketball’s One Team program. He also appeared on Euroleague Basketball's "Overseas" documentary featuring Olympiacos's Shaquielle McKissic and AS Monaco's Donatas Motiejunas. EuroLeague fans have been able to hear Hines’s journey into the media, too, thanks to the A Quarter with Kyle Hines podcast and his occasional appearances on The Players’ View.
Kyle Hines is and forever will be a EuroLeague legend. Here’s to a wonderful career, Kyle!