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Elton Brand: Former NBA All-Star Retires

By Jonathan Savitske

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Elton Brand, a former number 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, former NBA All-Star, and now former Atlanta Hawk retired on Tuesday at the age of 36.

Brand today stated that it was the right call at 36-years-old for him and his family to retire, but still left a chance open for a comeback if a team were to give him a call during the 2016 season. Elton Brand had a sixteen year career in the NBA, playing for the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Atlanta Hawks for the past two seasons.

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Elton Brand saw his playing time with the Atlanta Hawks diminish during the 2014-2015 season, playing in only 36 games on the year. He averaged only 2.7 points in his 36 games played this past season.

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In college, Elton Brand was one of the most dominant players to ever play for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, securing a spot as the number 1 overall pick in 1999. After being drafted by the Chicago Bulls, Brand averaged an outstanding 20.1 points and 10 rebounds per game as a rookie, leading to sharing the Rookie of the Year Award with Houston Rockets’ Point Guard Steve Francis.

During his time with the Los Angeles Clippers, Elton Brand led the team to their first playoff series victory since their move to Southern California. As a player, Elton Brand had more 20 point, 9 rebound seasons than any active player not named Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. That is an incredible statistic and demonstrates how good Brand truly was during his time in the Association.

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As a member of the Atlanta Hawks from 2013-2015, Elton Brand became a leader in the locker-room for Head Coach Mike Budenholzer, imparting valuable wisdom to young players on a developing team. Budenholzer employed Elton Brand primarily off the bench; though Brand became a starter in 2014 after Al Horford suffered a torn pectoral muscle and was lost for the season.

Elton Brand’s size was a valuable asset for Budenholzer to employ on the court during his tenure in Atlanta. Brand was put on the court to contend with opponents who possessed a size advantage in the front-court, helping the Atlanta Hawks defray their opponent’s ability to create mismatches and to compete with their physicality.

Elton Brand’s leadership will be missed this season in Atlanta, but who knows? Maybe an injury this year will allow him to secure a position on the Atlanta Hawks roster or with another contender looking for a veteran presence in the locker room. Good luck, Elton. It was great to have you as a member of the Hawks to finish your career and we wish you nothing but the best.

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