Tristan Thompson has taken his final bow in the NBA.
The former Cleveland Cavaliers big man Thompson revealed this week that he is officially retired from the NBA. Thompson was appearing on the podcast of his ex-girlfriend Khloe Kardashian and confirmed his retirement as a player.
“Honestly, it’s been great,” said Thompson of his retirement, per E! Online. “I always tell people it feels like I’m a rookie again.”
“You have to figure out how you’re going to pivot,” Thompson continued. “The toughest thing for anyone, but for athletes, is figuring out what’s next. For athletes, the easiest transition is going into sports broadcasting because it’s a way that you can still stay part of the game and just talk about what you love.”
Thompson, 35, was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and played 13 total seasons in the league. He spent the vast majority of his career on the Cavaliers and started on their championship team in 2016.
Best known as a robust rebounder and interior presence despite being just 6-foot-9, Thompson averaged 8.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for his career. Thompson also played for the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Indiana Pacers but returned for a second stint in Cleveland from 2023-25 as a seldom-used veteran.
A native of Canada, Thompson went unsigned during the 2025-26 NBA season. He also made headlines in recent years for his on-again, off-again relationship with Kardashian as well as for a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. Now Thompson is formally calling it a wrap on his days a player.
