Two-Time Brooklyn Net Bojan Bogdanović to retire

He (technically) had multiple stints on the team in its Brooklyn era and somehow dodged all the craziness

Bojan Bogdanović is hanging it up. The sharp shooting Croatian forward announced his retirement from the game of basketball this morning on Instagram.

While technically a Brooklyn Net last year, Bogey never appeared in a game. He suffered an ankle injury with the New York Knicks during the 2024 playoffs, underwent season-ending foot surgery in April, and then again this past February as a member of the Nets, who waived him to make room for Killian Hayes.

That all seemed to play a large role in his decision to call it a career.

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“After 14 months of battling a foot injury, two surgeries, and countless efforts to get back on the court, the time has come to close a chapter,” Bogdanović said. “After more than two decades in the game, the moment has arrive to say goodbye to basketball. Not just as a sport, but as part of who I am.”

“I’ve had the privilege of playing for clubs that left their mark on both European and NBA basketball. From Mostar and Zrinjski, to Real Madrid and Murcia, then to Cibona and Ferenbahçe, I wore every jersey with pride,” he also wrote. “The NBA brought a whole new level of challenge and experience. I had the honor of wearing the jerseys of the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons and finally the New York Knicks. Every stop left a mark. Every jeresey carried its own weight.”

Bogdanović came to Brooklyn in 2014 after playing 10 years overseas, staying until midway through the 2016-17 season. As a talented player new on the NBA scene, he was a bright spot for a team stuck in limbo. He averaged 11.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in a Nets uniform while posting .441/.366/.847 splits. Although his best years came in Utah, his lone NBA accolade came in Brooklyn when he was named to the 2014-15 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

After playing another season and a half, the Nets dealt him along with Chris McCullough to the Washington Wizards for for Andrew Nicholson, Marcus Thornton, and a 2017 first round draft pick that turned into Jarrett Allen. He came back last summer as part of the Mikal Bridges trade — but the closest thing we got to an actual return from him was during Practice At the Park.

As someone able to contribute as a starter or off the bench, being a more than capable shooter from deep, and a rather humble guy, Bogdanović’s game and character were both well-respected throughout his career.

“He’s a pretty complete player,” said Mirza Teletovic of Bogdanović in 2014, taking him under his wing at the time. “His motor, both offensively and defensively, is pretty good…He really understands basketball, understands what he’s supposed to do on the court.”

Bogey’s place on the Nets timeline is as interesting as anyone’s. The amount of things that happened between his first season and his last are frankly astonishing. He left in a trade that planted a few seeds for Sean Marks’ first rebuild, Brooklyn then made the playoffs with D’Angelo Russell for the first time in three years, completed the “clean sweep” and nearly won a championship, blew it up, tried to retool with Bridges, and then blew that up as well.

He began his career as a Net. Now he’ll end it that way. And everything that happened in-between was absolute theater.

“I’m closing this chapter, but my love for the game remains,” he concluded. “I didn’t reach the end. I’ve reached the other side of the beginning.”

Cheers to that and a great career, Bogey. We’re wishing you the best.