The Philadelphia 76ers already saw one of their cult heroes fade into retirement just recently. Now, fans will have to bid adieu to another playoff standout that graced the team’s colorways not too long ago.
After a playing as a professional basketball player for more than 23 years and spending 13 seasons in the NBA, Italian sharpshooter Marco Belinelli has officially walked away from the game, retiring at the age of 39 to cap off a very successful career.
The news came shortly after Virtus Bologna, an Italian basketball team participating in the Euroleague which Belinelli last played for, won the Italian league championship. Belinelli spent the last five years there, and was a huge reason for their success during that stretch.
Widely known for his unorthodox shooting angles and savvy movement without the ball as a roaming marksman, Belinelli also saw success in the NBA. He was a key part of the memorable 2013-14 San Antonio Spurs team that won the championship and carved a consistent role as a resident sniper.
76ers fan-favorite Marco Belinelli retires from professional basketball at 39
Now, Belinelli will likely not be associated the most with the 76ers given that he only appeared in 38 total games, including the playoffs, for the franchise, but the fanbase will always have him as an all-time favorite for what he did for the team in his short stint.
Belinelli, alongside Ersan Ilyasova, were instrumental in boosting Philadelphia’s scoring attack on the perimeter during the latter part of the 2017-18 season after they were traded by Atlanta. The sweet-shooter proved to be a sleek fit next to Ben Simmons, who enjoyed having another sharpshooter to pass the ball to alongside JJ Redick.
The Italian’s most memorable moment with the 76ers came during Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Celtics, where he sunk a buzzer-beating three-point shot to tie the game and send it to a rubber match in overtime. Philly ultimately lost that game, but Belinelli definitely left his mark on the team during the 2018 playoffs.
Heck, Jaylen Brown even called Belinelli the hardest player he has ever guarded, presumably due to his relentless movement off the ball.
Unfortunately, what seemed like a perfect matrimony between the 76ers and Belinelli did not last long, as the sharpshooter left the team in free agency to return to the Spurs during the same summer.
Nevertheless, Marco Belinelli will retire as one of the more memorable role players for the Philadelphia 76ers.