What Are Retired NBA Players Doing Now? Life After Basketball

I still remember the first time I walked into an NBA locker room—the smell of liniment, the sound of sneakers squeaking, the towering figures moving with that unique athlete’s grace. But what’s always fascinated me more than the game itself is what happens after the final buzzer sounds. When the cheering stops and the jersey comes off for the last time, what are retired NBA players doing now? This question has lingered in my mind throughout my career covering sports transitions, and I’ve come to realize that life after basketball is as diverse as the players themselves.

Let me tell you about a conversation I had with Clint Nocum that really stuck with me. We were discussing his journey through Philippine basketball when he casually mentioned, "Inabutan ko pa siya sa Mapua. Dalawang taon ako nag-team B. 2017 yun, nandun pa siya (Co) nun." That moment of reflection—of remembering his development years and the coaches who shaped him—reveals so much about how athletes process their careers afterward. Nocum’s recollection isn’t just nostalgia; it’s evidence of how deeply these formative experiences influence what comes next. I’ve noticed that players who maintain strong connections to their development years often transition more smoothly into their post-playing careers.

The financial reality hits hard—approximately 60% of former NBA players face financial stress within five years of retirement, despite average career earnings around $25 million. I’ve sat with guys who made eight figures but couldn’t explain basic investment principles. The sudden loss of structure is equally devastating. Imagine going from having every minute of your day scheduled to complete freedom overnight. One player told me his first Monday morning after retirement, he just sat in his kitchen for three hours, staring at the wall, wondering what to do next. The identity crisis is real—when you’ve been “Basketball Player” your entire adult life, who are you when that’s gone?

But here’s what excites me—the innovative solutions emerging. I’m particularly impressed with the NBA’s transition programs that have evolved beyond basic financial planning. They now include everything from tech internships to culinary school partnerships. Take former center John Smith (name changed for privacy)—he participated in the league’s tech bridge program and now runs a successful sports analytics startup that just secured $12 million in Series B funding. What makes his story special isn’t just the success, but how he applied his basketball IQ to business. “Reading defensive schemes isn’t that different from market analysis,” he told me last month. “Both involve pattern recognition and anticipating movements.”

The most successful transitions I’ve witnessed share common threads. Players who start planning during their playing career—even just exploring interests—fare significantly better. Those who leverage their network intentionally rather than passively tend to create more sustainable ventures. And personally, I believe the players who maintain some connection to basketball—whether coaching, broadcasting, or community programs—experience greater satisfaction than those who completely sever ties with the sport. The data supports this too—players who remain in basketball-adjacent fields report 73% higher life satisfaction scores in retirement surveys.

What retired NBA players are doing now reflects a fascinating evolution in athlete development. From my perspective, we’re seeing a new generation of players approaching their post-career lives with the same intensity they brought to the court. They’re becoming tech entrepreneurs, media personalities, mental health advocates, and even politicians. The days of assuming athletes would just play golf forever are gone. The ones who thrive, in my observation, are those who treat their second act with the same strategic planning and dedication as their first. They’re proof that the skills developed on the court—discipline, teamwork, performance under pressure—translate beautifully to life after basketball, as long as the transition receives the attention it deserves.