Former University of Illinois basketball player Meyers Leonard has officially announced his retirement from the NBA.
The 33-year-old former Illinois high school basketball star, who played 10 seasons in the league, announced the news Sunday on his social media accounts. He posted a heartfelt statement along with video of a song called “Good in Goodbye,” written and performed by Leonard about his life and times in basketball.
“Leaving the NBA has given me the greatest blessing of all,” Leonard wrote, “the chance to be the father I never had, to fall asleep next to my beautiful wife every night, and to spend time with the most important people in my life.”
Leonard has been married to Peorian and former Peoria Notre Dame athlete Elle Bielfeldt since 2015. The two met in 2011 while both were at the University of Illinois. They have one child together, a son named Liam, with another boy due later this spring, according to Elle’s social media.
The 7-foot center played his high school basketball at Robinson in southeast Illinois, near the Indiana border. He led his team to the Illinois High School Association Class 2A state championship victory over Peoria Manual in 2010. Leonard went on to play at Illinois from 2010-12 before leaving for the NBA. He was the 11th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, for which he played for seven seasons. He then spent two seasons with the Miami Heat, making the 2020 NBA Finals.
After battling controversy and injuries for a couple of seasons, Leonard remerged with the Bucks and played his last games in 2023. He has not played in the NBA since. In all, Leonard played 456 games in his career, including 30 playoff games. He averaged 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range.
Leonard’s full statement is below, posted Sunday on his Instagram account:
“I knew after the Milwaukee season that I couldn’t play basketball anymore.
It was the hardest decision I never had to make — because my body made it for me.
At first, I wasn’t planning to say anything. I figured people would assume as time passed.
But what I’ve come to realize is that while my body told me to hang it up, my heart wasn’t ready.
Learning to sing and songwrite has given me a chance to reflect on everything basketball has given me — and how every goodbye has led to something good.
Leaving my small hometown to play for the University of Illinois led to meeting the love of my life.
Leaving college early for the NBA gave me the opportunity to take care of my entire family.
Leaving Portland for Miami gave me the chance to compete in the Finals and play the best basketball of my career.
And now, leaving the NBA has given me the greatest blessing of all — the chance to be the father I never had, to fall asleep next to my beautiful wife every night, and to spend time with the most important people in my life.
This song is a thank you — to basketball, the fans, my teammates, my family, the organizations, and everyone who believed in a young kid from Robinson, Illinois.
I love and appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. Cheers to the next chapter.
The Hammer”
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