Years before NBA players took up the cause in earnest, Thabo Sefolosha took charge in the fight against police brutality. The victim of police misconduct while playing for the Hawks in 2015, Sefolosha demanded and got some accountability. He then donated a substantial portion of his $4 million settlement with New York City toward criminal-justice reform.
That will be his legacy in retirement.
Sefolosha, 36, revealed his retirement on the “Fastbreak” podcast.
The first NBA player from Switzerland, Sefolosha played 14 seasons with the Bulls, Thunder, Hawks, Jazz and Rockets. At his best, he started for some excellent Oklahoma City teams. Sefolosha made the 2010 All-Defensive second team.
He entered the NBA a shooting guard but – credit to his versatility – kept up with the league’s evolution by shifting to power forward by the end of his career. That career apparently ended when he sat out the resumption at Disney World last year.