Kristaps Porziņģis announces he will ‘step away from the game I love’

Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porziņģis announced on Friday that he is stepping away from basketball to focus on lingering health issues. In a statement posted on social media, the 31-year-old explained that he made the decision to prioritize his health and take a break from the sport.

Porziņģis has been away from the Warriors nine games into the season due to undisclosed health matters. While he stopped short of formally announcing a permanent retirement, it remains unclear whether the veteran big man will return to play in the NBA.