Over the course of his 16-year career, Theo Ratliff played for nine different franchises (and two of them twice). But with the 2011-12 NBA season set to start on Christmas Day, the 38-year-old free agent will be watching from home. A league source told Dime on Wednesday afternoon that Ratliff is retiring.
After signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, Ratliff appeared in only 10 games during the regular season, and made a brief cameo in the playoffs. He retires 18th in NBA history with 1,968 career blocks, having led the league three times.
In 2001, Ratliff was voted the starting center for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game, but was unable to play due to injury. This began a theme, as injuries would continue to plague Ratliff throughout his career. He was traded six times, including deals for All-Stars Jerry Stackhouse (1997), Dikembe Mutombo (2001), Rasheed Wallace (2004), and Kevin Garnett (2007).
Ratliff, who made over a $100 million for his career, now resides in Atlanta with his family.
What’s your favorite Theo Ratliff memory?
Follow Aron on Twitter at @the_real_aron.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
