Danilo Gallinari announced his retirement on Tuesday. The 37-year-old forward ends a 16-year career that included 14 NBA seasons. He entered the league as the sixth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and became one of the most successful Italian players in league history.
A long and productive career
Gallinari has played for nine NBA teams: Knicks, Nuggets, Clippers, Thunder, Hawks, Celtics, Wizards, Pistons and Bucks. He missed two full seasons due to an ACL injury but still joined a group of 299 players who have played at least 14 NBA seasons.
He comes from a strong basketball family. His father, Vittorio Gallinari, played with Mike D’Antoni in Italy. Danilo became Italy’s second-highest drafted player of all time, behind only Andrea Bargnani. His 11,607 points are the most by an Italian in NBA history.
Impact on New York and Denver
Gallinari first gained attention under Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni. In 2011, he moved to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade. He helped the Nuggets win 57 games in 2012-13, but a torn ACL late that year derailed their playoff run.
Injuries continued to hamper his playing time, and he missed at least 10 games in nearly every season of his career.
One of the best tall shooters in the NBA
Gallinari has a reputation as an elite shooter because of his size. He made 1,456 3-pointers, sixth-most among players 6-foot-10 or taller. In February 2021, he joined the list of players who have made 10 or more three-pointers off the bench in a single game.
In the same season, he reached the conference finals for the first time with the Atlanta Hawks and played a key role in the team’s 2021 campaign.
The final chapter outside the NBA
Gallinari last played in an NBA game in the 2024 playoffs, when the Milwaukee Bucks lost to Indiana in the first round. He capped his career earlier this year in Puerto Rico by winning a championship and Finals MVP for Vaqueros de Bayamón.
His retirement ends a career marked by skill, toughness and consistent scoring.
