Former Raptors center Lucas Nogueira is retiring from basketball, according to a post on his Instagram.
The Celtics initially drafted the rights to the 7-footer with the No. 16 pick in 2013 (one pick after reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo), packaging him in a draft-night deal with the Hawks. During the summer of 2014, with Nogueira still overseas, the Hawks sent his draft rights to the Raptors in a package that also included sharpshooting off-guard Lou Williams.
Nogueira played 141 games for the Raptors between 2014-18. Toronto decline to tender the big man an extension offer for the 2018/19 season, making him an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2018. He opted to return overseas, playing for clubs in Spain and Bahrain. Nogueira posted career NBA averages of 3.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 1.0 BPG in 12.4 MPG.
The 28-year-old alluded to incurring a new injury after a prior injury kept him off the court for the better part of two years.
“Certainly the sad moments [on the court] were those that took me away from the courts due to injuries,” Nogueira said in his Instagram post. “I always knew that returning to the [court] after almost two years away from her would be very difficult and challenging, but I was willing to take on more of this challenge in my career. However, last Tuesday, it happened again, so I made this difficult decision and asked to leave Fortaleza Basquete Cearense.”
The Raptors didn’t draft him…they traded for him and Lou Will after his rookie year
imagine being selected before schroder and gobert and just barely able to stick in da nba for 4 seasons without doing much. like he did have athleticism and length and is a good shot blocker but other than that he wasnt much of an offensive player.
true but the over seas guys are always more of a dice roll (and the domestic dudes are still a dice roll)
for every giannis there are prob 12-15 bruno “2 years from being 2 years away” caboclo (sp?)
yup. remember shabazz muhammed lmao
wolves decided to pick a ball hog who plays no defense over a two time reigning mvp.
yup sometimes ill scroll thru old drafts and ite crazy how many guys each year end up doing next to nothing, who we pretty much instantly forget about (like shabazz)
Who?
lucas nogueria
He was really good for them…thought he would land somewhere, even though it’s sometimes hard to figure out what few teams need a big. Maybe he was already injured at that point
Wow the dude still made over 8m in the NBA plus overseas pay ( don’t know how that goes) if he’s was he should be set for life so good for him happy trails
Set for a life is a stretch. He made 8 million playing in a city with highest tax(in the NBA).
lots of talent no development of offensive game also has a drinking problem
Considering Anthony Bennett went #1 in 2013, Nogueira being #16 wasn’t a terrible pick at all!
Bebe was a fan favourite for the raps. Good luck in retirement, I’ll remember you fondly!
He’s retiring?